Living Fantasy
by Myst Eternally
Summary: "One day, I just woke up. And I realized. I don't want this life. I want another chance. A petulant, selfish wish. But it is a wish. My wish."
1. The Beginning

He woke up on the base of a long staircase.

He sat up, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. His back rather hurt from sleeping on rock. He gave out a yawn, and scratched his tousled head. He stood up and stretched, enjoying the silence that makes nature so paradoxical. Despite a backdrop of birds singing, of the autumn wind blowing, it was a more comfortable silence than the dead silence he has experienced for a while now.

He looked around. He didn't recognize where he was. He kind of figured, since he would not normally sleep outside on the sidewalk. But…

This wasn't a sidewalk. This was a very archaic but well-maintained stone road that led to what seems to be the most daunting set of stairs he has ever seen in his short life.

He blinked at the sight. It WAS rather weird. He pinched his arm and grimaced, feeling the stinging pain.

He looked behind him, and saw the path lead out to a far distance, hugged between two sections of forest.

What a start to a day.

Perhaps he was dreaming?

* * *

He really had no choice, did he. He began climbing the stairs. His lazy body, unused to such a workout, frequently had to stop to rest. At least the day was great and windy. He couldn't imagine doing this during the merciless heat of the summer.

He trudged on, his legs dying on him. Figuratively. He forced his meager will on them to keep going, wanting to see the big prize on the top. After all, this long staircase wouldn't exist without a reason, right? It led to somewhere. Probably interesting, or at least different.

More importantly, he didn't think the wildlife decided to take up engineering and build pointlessly long staircases as a monument to the natural order of life. Hakuna matata and all that.

He could see the end. It was a heartening sight. He lifelessly trudged on, and finally reached the top, where he collapsed on the ground gracelessly. He took a beat or two to gather his bearings.

He rolled to his back, and looked up, his head aching as hot blood coursed his fatigued body. He saw a crimson arch. No, it was a tori gate, wasn't it. Heh. Who said anime couldn't teach you anything.

He was in Japan then?

…..Well, he guessed that clears things up.

* * *

As he made a silent realization and resolution, he sat up. He looked down, into the base of the long, long staircase that made 15 minutes of his life utter hell. Or somewhat hell. Maybe.

He was tired honestly. He wanted to sleep, and the weather was nice enough to let him by with just his back on the tori gate.

…Nah. He'll check the area first. Let's not be weak now, he made it this far after all.

He looked around the area again, this time from the top. So much forest. And yep, that's a shrine all right.

Very red, it almost hurt his eyes. He was in holy ground was he. Was it technically desecration if he decided to just lie down and sleep there?

Nah. No religion could be that absurdly uptight.

He walked towards the shrine. He felt like himself again. See, he wasn't that weak. It WAS only a 15 minute exercise after all.

He stood before a rather inelegant, though well-cared for box. The donation box, presumably.

Hmm…

He searched his pockets, and found his wallet. Ah, he had his wallet with him this whole time. He didn't really know why that thought amused him.

He looked through the pockets. Yep, that's yen alright. He WAS in Japan.

Well, when in Japan and all that.

He rolled up the bills and dropped them in. It made a soft thud on bottom of the box. Huh. He could hear that? Must have been empty. He couldn't help but feel sorry now for the now identified empty donation box. The metaphor this spoke of in regards to the condition of this shrine.

He was half-assedly wondering what to pray for as he donated. Guess he knew now.

He clapped his hand three times, then bowed as he prayed, closing his eyes.

He prayed that good fortune shall fall on this shrine for a long time.

"WHAWAWWAWAWWAWAAWHAWATCH OOUUUUUUUUUUT!"

Boom. Thud. Thunk. Gah.

* * *

He woke up again. This was mildly annoying.

He twitched his body. It listened. Good, he wasn't paralyzed. But damn did he hurt.

Would a paralyzed person still feel pain? Probably, he thought faintingly.

Damn. He hurt. Really hurt. He cannot emphasize that enough. And he had a splitting headache as well.

Considering the white-hot pain that radiated from his noggin, he's not sure that was really a metaphor. Did he fall on his head? What on Earth crashed into him?

High-pitched. Must have been female.

He struggled to remember. Then he realized a contradiction in his thinking and sighed.

If what he remembered was correct, the path of the collision between his poor back that drove his body from a straight stand to nearly flat on his face came from the sky and diagonally down onto him.

That made no sense. The person would have fallen from the sky then. He didn't see anyone, and last he heard, no human could fly.

Could have been a parrot that crashed into him. No, that's silly. Parrots don't talk like girls. Or weighed that heavi- Huh, that would be weird to say in front of a girl. Better not do that and God damn he hurt.

Was he blind? Oh wait, there's some wet fabric on his cheeks. Must be a wet towel. Does he have a fever? He does feel hot right then.

He shakily brought a hand to the towel and tried to lift it off. Pleased that he wasn't so damaged that he couldn't manage that, he slowly opened his eyes. Damn headache made him wince. A door opens.

"Dammit Marisa, of all the stupid- Oh? You're awake." A melodious pitch. A girl then. Huh, she could be a singe-

He opened his eyes, and found two others staring back into his.

He will never forget that face for the rest of his life.


	2. Hakurei

He watched from the veranda. Reimu fussed around for a bit, looking for snacks to give him as she commanded him to rest.

"It's okay. I just want a drink, please."

So here he was, sipping some green tea. Mmm, actual, legit tea. He raised the cover on the small pot, and saw some kind of flower. Hurray for natural. This actually tasted like tea.

Not tasty, but it was warm and soothing. Helped with the headache at least.

* * *

"_Oh, you're awake. That's good." The brown-haired girl smiled, relieved._

"_You took a nasty fall there though. I'm not Eirin so I'm not sure, but… How many fingers am I holding up?" Reimu held up her fingers._

"…_..Three." He replied, staring up at her._

"_Good, good. Now?"_

"_Two."_

"_Alright, I think your head is on alright at least. Can you move at all…?"_

_The Shrine Maiden of Paradise fussed around for a while, asking him about how he felt and all. She finally straightened herself, and sighed, satisfied._

"_Okay, it seems you will be just fine. I am so sorry about what happened. My FRIEND has been punished accordingly, don't worry." The girl smiled kindly at the injured man._

_The man made a small but noticeable nod. Then winced._

"_Don't move around too much. I'll prepare some…"_

_The girl was cut off as the man slowly but surely sat up. He took a deep breath and, softly grabbing his skull, declared,_

"_Thank you for your concern, but I want to sit at the veranda. Please."_

_The man made an unusual request._

_The girl blinked, then hummed, pondering._

"…_Alright. I'll set out a cushion, okay? But don't strain yourself." She left the room, busying herself._

_The man stared after her. Pondering. Wondering._

* * *

"You enjoy nature then?"

A voice from the back called out.

He didn't bother looking behind him. He was mighty comfortable where he was. Huh, he didn't think sitting on his legs on this cushion could actually be comfortable. Or maybe he's so numb he can't feel the numbness of his legs?

…That made no sense.

"Yes."

The girl set out a cushion next to him, and poured herself her own cup of tea. They watched the outside of the shrine for a while, silently, taking in the scenery.

…It really was beautiful. He felt a peace settle in. It's been so long.

"Once again, I apologize. My friend didn't watch where she was going, and well…_"_

"It's fine. It wasn't malicious so don't worry, don't worry."

He replied instantly, but not insincerely. He let out a small smile. Reimu glanced at him, and nodded, a little uncomfortable and put off at the easy acceptance, before shrugging.

No need to sweat the small stuff. She'll just take it easy.

"Yu~ Yu~"

A soft bouncing could be heard behind them. Reimu looked behind her and saw her yukkuri bounce closer. Smiling, she patted her legs and welcomed the yukkuri.

The yukkuri was shocked. You could tell because yukkuri were so expressive. They have their "take it easy" face and their "holy freak out" face and only those two after all.

Then it took it easy. Yukkuri might understand something about how to live life. She figured that the man was not hostile, and decided to take it easy.

What a carefree creature. It bounced towards Reimu's lap, and settled in, lightly bouncing itself into a better position.

Reimu giggled. He looked out, glancing at the oddest creature he had ever seen. He'd think he would remember blob-like disembodied heads in the outside world after all. Though...

"…Hmm." He affirmed to himself.

He looked to the right, where the donation box was. It was unharmed. He managed to maneuver himself enough to avoid it, though he paid for it by faceplanting into the unforgiving concrete.

Reimu noticed where his attention was.

"Oh, thank you so much for donating. I appreciate your support." Reimu smiled happily.

He sweatdropped. He's getting intense vibes of resignation, loneliness, and pleasant surprise from what should only be a beautiful smile.

"Yu~ Yu~"

The blobby creature cried out cheerfully.

A head poked out from under the shrine, and then twisted itself to face them. That was the most flexible turtle neck ever.

"Whuuuuuuu~ Ah, Reimu-chan. And Yu-Reimu-chan. And a guest?" A deep old man voice yawned and spoke from the turtle.

He shook his head, mildly amused. He wasn't moving at all, and yet deeper into the rabbit hole he went.

"Um. Genji-ojiisan this is-" Reimu broke off. An awkward silence settled for a minute.

"….Reimu-chan?" Genji wondered, confused.

Reimu blushed, embarrassed.

"Ah yes, umm…Sorry donator-san. I forgot to introduce myself. I am Hakurei-"

There it was.

"Reimu. And welcome to the Hakurei Shrine. This one, a yukkuri, is Yu-Reimu-chan. And this old man is Genji-ojiichan." She finished teasingly.

Genji grunted.

"Old man huh? I'll have you know that, by turtle standards, 400 is still young!"

"But by human standards, you're older than I could ever be~ So you are an old man Genji~" Reimu sang out, giggling.

Genji harrumphed.

"Yu~ Yu~" Yu-Reimu bounced excitedly. It left Reimu's lap and bumped into his leg. He looked down on the creature, and it looked up, pleading. He raised his cup, and it jumped on his lap, settling in happily.

Reimu looked on, surprised.

"Huuuu….Yu-Reimu-chan is normally shyer than this…."

"I'm-"

_I introduced myself._

Reimu blinked, then frowned, taking in the surprisingly elaborate name.

"Um. Then I'll call you Tai for short. Is that okay?"

He shrugged, sipping his tea and carefully putting it down on the tray. He petted the yukkuri, which seemed to make it even more mellow, if that was possible.

"How rude Reimu-chan. It's bad manners to make nicknames for other people."

"Stop being so stiff Genji-ojiisan. He agreed to it after all." Reimu replied back.

As the old turtle and the Shrine Maiden of Paradise bantered back and forth, he took in the sounds, the scenery, the scent of nature.

This moment was quite a treat. He never found anything like this in the city.

He moved to take a sip, then realized his cup was empty. As he contemplated whether or not he should pour himself another cup, he saw a dot on the sky. Two actually.

Two people flying. Wow. Then they landed on the ground. One looked like a little girl with horns, and another looked like-

Tai, as he was now called, hummed and poured himself another cup.

"Reimu, we brought the medicine from- Oh? Yer awake already?"

"Hahahaha! He ain't a man if he couldn't take this much of a beatin' after all!"

The Ordinary Black Magician and the Tiny Night Parade of a Hundred Demons called out, rather carefree.

It slightly bothered Tai how easy-going his attacker seemed to be. Then he sipped his tea.

"Hahahaha! Really sorry about crashing into ya~ But ya gotta admit, that's an introduction you'll NEVER ferget~ Wahahahaha~" Marisa laughed boisterously.

"Well, now that Reimu's precious donator is up, let's drink! To celebrate! By drinking~" Suika seemed drunk already, and was intent on getting more smashed.

Reimu face-palmed, and sighed. Yu-Reimu bounced excitedly, remembering the two.

Genji decided to retreat to under the shrine to get more sleep. No amount of years would ever prepare him for dealing with Oni.

* * *

"I'm Kirisame Marisa, Witch Extraordinaire~ Nice ta meet ya~!" Marisa energetically introduced herself. He wasn't aware that that statement required hand gestures.

"What a weird introduction…" Reimu muttered.

"Hahaha! I'm Suika! I'm an oni, and oni don't lie! Here, want a drink?" The tiny oni offered her gourd to Tai, already buzzed.

"No. He is injured, and his head was hurt. No thanks to Miss Witch Extraordinaire here." Reimu asserted, glaring at Marisa.

Marisa had the sense to wince at that. She gave a sheepish smile as she rubbed her head under her hat. Tai's mouth never stopped smiling in amusement from the scene. It gave Marisa confidence.

"Well, we're not dead, and he's gonna be fine~ All's well that ends well~"

"Oi, take responsibility. Get on your knees and apologize. Plus, you almost crashed into my donation box." Reimu tried to look stern, but she only managed to make herself pout.

Tai silently accepted the oni's offered gourd as he enjoyed the show. Curious about how sake would taste, he tilted the gourd to his mouth.

"He's already taking it easy see~? Kinda like Yu-Reimu-chan, here here, so no need to be so uptight about things~ Besides, stress makes you years older, but smiles makes you decades younger~ Smile old lady Reimu~" Marisa teased as she patted Yu-Reimu.

Reimu's eyebrow twitched, and she put a hand into her sleeve, pulling out her gohei. She seemed to struggle with herself, then sighed, put out.

"Stop being aggravating Marisa. Sheesh… Pass the medicine. Might as well use it on him now."

"Trying hard to impress your donator? Wahahaha~ Does Reimu have a crush?"

A tick mark.

"Sorry, it seems like it is empty." Tai offered back the gourd to Suika, who's singing off-key about a sake world with sake fish.

The whole world seemed to stop.

Marisa and Reimu blinked, and Suika slowly turned towards Tai, horror in her face.

"…..E-Empty?" She whispered, utterly terrified as she beheld the worst nightmare of her life. Possible sobriety.

"Wait, I thought the gourd has infinite sake or sumthin." Marisa wondered.

"Exactly." Reimu agreed.

Yu-Reimu, inexplicably finding herself on top of Reimu's head, snoozed on.

Tai blinked. Suika shakily, then instantly grabbed it, and turned it upside down, mouth desperately wide open.

She almost choked as a gush of sake almost drowned her. Like only an oni could, she dexterously moved to prevent a drop of sake from not being drunk. She was then happily sucking on the gourd like it was a bottle.

"….It's not empty Tai." Marisa pointed out the obvious.

Tai shrugged. "It was for me."

Suika stopped her revelry for a second and said, "Ya must have been doin' it wrong~ Here, try again~"

"…How do you try to drink sake and get it wrong?" Reimu wondered, exasperated.

Tai took the gourd again. He tilted it, and was surprised to feel sake pour into his mouth.

He gulped it down. Huh. Nice taste.

"Must have accidentally turned it off." Tai shrugged again.

"It has an off button?" Marisa asked confusedly.

Reimu face-palmed again.

"Wahahaha~ Oh man, outsiders are always funny to watch~" Suika laughed uproariously. Laughing a wee bit too hard there.

Marisa and Reimu blinked. Oh right, Tai was an outsider.

"How did you get into Gensokyo-"

Throb.

"-anyways, Tai?" Reimu asked, curious and wary. Still, her instincts weren't going off, so it wasn't really an incident.

"Oooh, ooh, was it because of lunar aliens, or, or did it involve a goddess with a frog hat and another with a round bread on her back, or, or maybe gaps with eyeballs and a cute red ribbon~" Marisa excitedly suggested.

"Templates like that are forbidden." Reimu absent-mindedly replied.

Tai said nothing for a while, swishing the gourd. He took another sip, before offering it back to Suika, who started chugging it down with wild abandon.

"….Dunno." He easily replied.

"…Huh?" Marisa and Reimu stared at Tai.


	3. The Human Village

Tai leisurely went down the stairs, bento in hand.

He made sure to look up periodically, in case any Unidentified Flying Girls decided to collide with his oh so precious body again. And he looked down, because tripping here would be dreadful.

Tai was unsure of the merit of a long set of stairs for a destination that can be comfortably reached through flying. Perhaps it weeded out the weak (like him) who would be daunted by the long climb? But wait, the weak ones (like him) are the ones who will donate to the shrine after all. So Reimu is intentionally pushing away prospective donators? She does have a lot of youkai in the shrine, it might cause a small incident with that star-crossed meeting in itself.

No, but she was seriously happy about getting a donation. Like it hasn't happened in a while and it made her happy to see it happen again.

Tai mulled it over seriously, as another part of his brain remembered…

* * *

"_You don't know how you got here?" Reimu scratched her head, and her brows furrowed in thought._

"_Ye got amnesia? Outsiders with amnesia do happen sometimes." Marisa pointed out._

"_Oh? Nothing a good fight won't fix. The energy of two souls blazing, exchanging punches, beating the living crap out of each other! That's enough shock for the brain ta remember, right?!" Suika contributed happily._

_Tai nonchalantly and surreptitiously shifted away from the oni._

"_No fighting in my shrine. I will hurt you and seal you away. Seriously." Reimu clamped down on that suggestion._

"_We could just ask the gap youkai. She would know how he got here, right? Prob'ly the cause too ze." Marisa pointed out._

"…_When a human outsider enters this place, where would they go to work or get lodging?" Tai asked suddenly._

_Reimu, Marisa, and Suika blinked. Tai was so quiet they honestly forgot he was there, despite the fact that they were talking about him._

"_Oh, umm, well…"_

"_Oh! The human village ze!" Marisa realized._

"_Oh yeah. Nice booze there too." Suika contributed._

"_No. No drinking Tai. Not until you take this medicine." Reimu shot down any thoughts of drunken revelry happening. Well, Tai was not exactly planning to do that anyways._

* * *

Reimu suggested that Tai should go to the Human Village the next morning. So he took some of that Eirin's medicine and went to sleep.

He had to hand it to this place. It has great healthcare. He had never felt this good in a very long time.

He woke up feeling fresh and brand new. And it seemed he woke up before Reimu, since he did not see her when he went out to the veranda.

He scratched his neck, and felt some bandage remain. Oh yeah, he forgot to un-mummify himself. Well that's fine, that's fine. He can really just do it now.

"_Oh! Look, a human, a human!"_

"_He came down from the shrine? Is he friends with the miko?"_

"_Let's play a trick on him! A trick, a trick!"_

"_But the miko might get mad…"_

Tai started unraveling himself. He half-wondered on what metaphor this could mean. Is he unwrapping the many layers between himself and the rest of the world, revealing that he became a whole new person after surviving a harrowing experience?

Kind of like metamorphosis, except he was not really a butterfly.

…Nah. It hurt, but he couldn't really call it a harrowing experience. He DID hit his head, so there was a great chance of accidental death on his part. Well, it hasn't happened, so oh well.

He did acknowledge that, yes, he let down his kimono from his upper body, looking like some kind of topless samurai, and began unraveling the bandages. Made him feel like he just came out of some gruesome, badass battle and he was just walking away, showing off his new scars to the world.

Like a boss.

Except there's no scars on his upper body. And it wasn't a badass battle.

Reality, why must you get in the way of fantasy every time?

As he made a deep sigh, unwrapping the bandages, walking straight towards the Human Village, three fairies were panting on top of a tree, looking bewildered at the man.

"_Wh….Why won't it work?"_

* * *

Tai wondered many things, as he dragged the bandages behind him.

Humans….Are strong.

They really are. He looked around the village and saw many buff men, and the women were no slouch either. He's seen two burly men lift up a huge piece of lumber to carry it to a construction site. One woman picked up one by herself. With one hand.

Nice hat too. Most elaborate hat he's ever seen. He wondered how heavy that is on the woman's head. Must not be much, she doesn't seem to be exerting herself.

Oh wait.

Well still, humans are strong.

They carved a village in the middle of a forest filled with bloodthirsty youkai apparently. Youkai who were simply born better than humans in so many ways it was frightening.

And they made the village matter, if the trade here was any sign.

Humans. They are strong.

They also make better monsters at times too though. Youkai has nothing on a particularly bloodthirsty, amoral human.

And he looked up again, just in case of more UFGs. He stopped.

Wow. Just…Wow.

A flying ship. Not a plane. An actual, sea-worthy ship, giving the seven seas the middle finger and telling them it is better than them, floating in the sky.

He's really not in Kansas anymore.

As he marveled at the Palanquin ship, the same woman with the elaborate hat approached him, concerned.

"Excuse me sir…You, were you attacked? Are you hurt?" She called out.

Tai blinked, and looked to his left. Oh, right. The strong woman. What a kind face. And that's some great blue hair she's sporting.

Kamishirasawa Keine frowned. She fixed her hat's position, and said,

"Umm sir, please let the doctor look you over. I'm not sure why you needed so many bandages but-"

"Oh, this is fine. I took some medicine and healed already. I was just looking for a place to throw these away." The still topless Tai held up his bandages.

Keine blinked.

"Oh, umm, the communal dump is over there…"

"Thank you." Tai walked off.

Keine just stood there, looking strangely at the human. She has never seen him before. She perused history, looking for any sign of him.

Nothing.

Keine's eyes widened.

She double-checked. Then triple-checked.

Nothing.

That can only mean…!

"Wait, wait! The dump is in the woods, and you don't know the path!" She ran off after him.

* * *

Tai went towards where Keine pointed as the dump. Hidden within the forest huh.

That's quite a decision. Then again, humans never do want to see imperfections in their lives. Having the trees hide the trash is a legitimate way they use to improve their lifestyles.

He's not really sure what to think of that, but he could hardly complain. As a fellow human, he's guilty of that too.

Whoosh.

He carefully went through the bushes and looked around and back. Huh, Keine seemed to be dozing in the middle of the street. Well, she'll be fine.

He looked forward again, and saw a little blond girl looking at him. She smiles ferally at him, and holds her arms up. If you make her stand next to a T, you would see the family resemblance.

She giggled, and stood there for a second, before flying. Tai noticed that she did not seem to really be looking at him anymore, and flitted around the trees.

He followed the strange girl's path some more. She flew around a few trees in her path, then rushed towards him. Was she trying to sneak up on him? She was not really doing a good job of hiding.

He stepped to the side.

Whump.

He looked down on the little blond girl as she rubbed her head, crying out in pain.

"Itaaai~ That hurt~" He sweatdropped. The girl didn't really seem to be taking her own injuries seriously.

Well, he saw that she was a flyer. Must be a youkai then. He'll just let her have her fun and finally throw away the bandages.

As he walked away, he felt a chill. He looked back and saw the little blond girl smile at him again. Huh. He got the impression of a shark.

"Onii-chan~ How silly of you, going in alone in the forest~ You don't know who you might meet after all~" She sang, her arms up by her sides. She held still for a second, before flying again, flitting around the trees.

He followed her path again.

She tried to rush him. Huh. Her trick seemed to be to fly around his side, then rush his six. It would probably work if she actually tried to hide herself first.

He stepped to the side again.

Whump.

He played with the youkai bemusedly. The little blond girl would let out a plaintive cry of pain, get over it, sing a song about how much danger he's in, and try the same tactic.

Three. Four. Five. Six.

The little blond youkai didn't get up this time, her face still slammed into the tree trunk.

He squatted down to look at her more closely.

'_Huh. I see…'_

Rumia was annoyed and impressed with her prey. He seemed to have supernatural reflexes or powerful divination abilities to keep avoiding her like that. She knew that, with her darkness ability, she would have easily gotten the surprise round on the human. This time, she will fly around his RIGHT instead, and then rush him from behind. She will get this dow-

She felt a weight on her head. She finally took her face out of the wood, and grabbed the weight. She brought it in front of her.

It was a bento box.

Rumia blinked. She looked back on the human, and the man seemed to wave goodbye to her, walking off.

Rumia blinked. Then she decided to eat the lunch.

Mmm. Delicious.

* * *

What a weird encounter, Tai mused.

A faint shout behind him made him stop. He looked behind him and saw Keine run at him. Wow she was fast.

She reached him, and she did not even look winded.

So this was a youkai. Nah, his only comparison was himself, and he was not really the benchmark to use for comparing human fitness.

She was frowning concernedly at him.

"You're an outsider, aren't you? I'm so sorry I did not realize. But still, you shouldn't go off alone in the woods! Don't you realize how much danger you are in…" Keine lectured on and on.

Huh. He was being lectured at. Was it really that dangerous? Nothing happened to him.

"…And so you shouldn't hesitate and ask for help. I know that, at your age, you feel like you might be able to take on the world, but life is more important than pride. Don't go alone into the forest again without someone with you, okay?" Keine finished.

"Yes sensei." Tai replied. Huh, that was rather dull of him.

Keine seemed to nod to herself. She did not realize his instinctual reply? Oh well.

"I am…Tai. From the Outside World, though you knew that already." He bowed.

Keine started, and then blushed.

"Oh, right. I am sorry. It must have been odd to be lectured by someone you do not know. I am Kamishirasawa Keine. I am the guardian of the Human Village." She introduced herself.

Tai nodded, and held his hand to her. She looked at it, confused.

"You do not shake hands here?" Tai asked.

"Oh! That Western outsider custom." She seemed delighted, and shook his hand.

Wow. Strong. What a strong handshake.

As he took back his hand, he finally threw his bandages to the dump.

"I am done here Keine-sensei. May I ask you to accompany me back?" Tai requested, smiling slightly.

Keine nodded in approval. They began walking back to the village.

"I must admit, I did not realize you were from the Outside World because of that kimono. Most outsiders wear what they call 'modern' clothes." Keine initiated conversation.

"Ah. I was injured previously, so it seems that Reimu-san changed my clothes for me as I was unconscious. I AM wearing 'modern' underwear." Tai speculated, then ended cheekily.

Keine blushed slightly at that, before shaking her head, smiling amusedly at Tai.

"You are quite blunt it seems. Or is it just honest?"

"Hmm. I would not really say."

"Oh? Does this mean you may be a liar?"

"All humans are to some extent. Sometimes, it is the only way to live an honest life."

Keine blinked and seemed to ponder that point.

"…Ah. You were being treated by Reimu-san, correct?" Keine remembered.

"Yes?" Tai agreed, a bit confused on why it was brought up again.

"That girl…She should have really escorted you to the village." Keine disapproved. She would need to 'talk' to Reimu soon too. It was her job to look out for the humans of Gensokyo after all.

Tai blinked.

"Ah, I see. She was still sleeping, though she did mention about going out near lunchtime. I woke up early, and decided to go since I might as well. Perhaps she intended to escort me then." Tai mused.

Keine looked at Tai. Tai looked at Keine. He blinked. Keine was surprised.

"….What on the Dragon made you think being alone in this world would be a good idea?!" Keine yelled exasperatedly.

"Oh, did Reimu not mention that this place is filled with youkai?" She realized and felt embarrassed. He might have been ignorant of the danger.

"…No no. She did. She did. I guess I was half-asleep and just forgot about the danger." Tai assured Keine.

Keine sighed. She geared up for another lecture.

* * *

"…And you need to pay better attention and remember what others tell you. It is only good manners to do so…" Keine continued to lecture as they neared the village.

Tai nodded bemusedly, making sure to pay attention.

The villagers nodded towards them, and gave Tai sympathizing looks. Keine-sensei was in her element, lecturing Tai on being more safety conscious. Her countenance, confident to the point of overbearing, made him deeply aware that she will continue for a while.

He could only smile at that. It really does show that she cares.

Still, Tai felt that the danger she kept expounding on was a bit exaggerated. Or maybe not.

Oh well, he was not really a risk-taking kind of chap.

"And while it is okay for a man to leave his top bare, you need to learn how to wear your kimono the right way. It shows respect to the one who made the kimono, and the one who lent it to you too…"

As Tai absent-mindedly fixed his kimono, he glanced towards a sign and stopped.

Keine, closing her eyes and focusing all her being into teaching, left him behind.

He went in.

"Hello. Welcome to Eientei Pharmacy. How may I help you?" An honest to God bunny girl just asked him.

Deeper and deeper into Wonderland. Or, really, Gensokyo (Land of Fantasy).

Reisen looked at the human curiously. She has dealt with a fair number of people in the village already, and she does not remember ever seeing him.

"Ah, hello. I'm…Tai. What kind of merchandise do you sell?" Tai asked Reisen.

Reisen nodded and was about to launch into a sales pitch, before realizing.

"Ah, yes…I must introduce myself back. I am Inaba Udongein Reisen." She bowed towards Tai.

Tai nodded and smiled pleasantly at her. She made sure to avoid looking at him in the eye.

"…Is your pharmacist someone named Eirin?" Tai asked.

Reisen looked surprised at that.

"Ah, yes…Is that not common knowledge?"

"Ah. I am from the Outside World." Tai easily admitted.

Reisen covered her mouth in surprise.

"Really? It has been a while since we have had an outsider enter Gensokyo. If you wish, I can direct you to Kamishira-"

"Keine-sensei? Do not worry, I have already met her." Tai assured the moon rabbit.

Reisen nodded, slightly aback. The outsider was faring much better than most outsiders it seems.

"Ah, and yes, our merchandise…"

Tai took in Reisen's sales pitch. A lot of miraculous drugs and normal ones are sold there. He was very impressed about hearing the Kouchoumugan.

"A pill that lets you dream a pleasant dream? Guaranteed?"

"Ah yes. Master said it was guaranteed or your money back." The pleasant, engaging smile of a salesgirl.

Tai hummed at that. "How much would it cost to buy one?"

Reisen gave the price, still smiling.

Tai searched his kimono, and paused. He searched his pockets some more, and then reached into the inside of his kimono and searched down...

Reisen blushed instantly.

"Wha-Wha-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Reisen squeaked out.

Tai blinked, and looked back at Reisen. Staring directly into her crimson eyes, he deadpanned.

"Looking for my wallet." Tai sighed, and shook his head. He fixed his kimono again, and coughed into his hand.

Reisen shook her red face, and said,

"Please, don't do that. It…It is indecent!"

Tai scratched his head, and nodded. "If you say so Reisen-san. Ah, but I was wearing briefs."

Reisen reddened some more and squirmed in place. Tai smirked slightly to himself. It was too easy.

He chuckled, and Reisen caught on. She glared at him, pouting.

"That was mean…"

"Ah, sorry. You made it too easy to tease you." He bowed his head in apology, though his smirk never did leave.

"Just because it is easy does not mean that it should be done." Reisen complained.

"Perhaps, but an opening as convenient as that, sometimes reflex and habit takes over." Tai smiled at her. The pleasant smile of an innocent man.

Reisen felt her lips quirk up. This outsider seemed friendly enough. Though she could get by without that teasing attitude.

She gets that enough from her own Master and Tewi.

"Well, since I do not have money, perhaps I can pay you back in…_Other ways?_" Tai let down his kimono, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Reisen rolled her eyes as she remained blushing.

"Come on now, you're just going at it too hard." She shot back.

"Oh dear, that sentence…Perhaps you are right, even if it is easy, I shouldn't really take the opening…" Tai laughed.

Reisen blinked, then caught her own words, and boiled over again. It's like watching a stop light.

"No-No-Not like that!"

Tai failed his saving throw. "So Lady Reisen prefers to take it slow?" He couldn't help himself.

Reisen clamped down at that, too red to speak further. She glared at him right in the eyes, pouting.

"Hmm…You really do have pretty red eyes." Tai complimented her, more honestly this time.

Reisen blinked, before becoming horrified. She closed her eyes and stood up-

"Oh no! Just calm down Tai-san and-"

-and banged her knee on the bottom of the table.

Tai blinked down on the girl on the floor.

"…..Itai…"

He chuckled and helped her up. "You really should be more careful, Reisen-dojikko-san."

Reisen pouted up at him, her eyes tearing. "I'm not a dojikko…"

Then she caught herself and turned her eyes away.

"Are…Are you alright?"

Tai nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Though I should be the one asking you that. Did you bang your head? How's your knee?"

Reisen waved his concern away. She was a lunar rabbit. She would heal.

"Are you sure? Do you hear voices, see strange things? Do you feel dizzy?" She interrogated him, making sure to look away this time.

Tai blinked. "Well, I am seeing something very weird right now."

"What?! Really?! What is it?! I-I-I'm so sorry, I have the medicine here somewhere-" Reisen fretted, looking around her desk.

"I see a pretty girl talking to me but not making eye contact. I feel like I may have offended her, and if I did, I do apologize." Tai easily replied.

Reisen stopped, and blushed at that.

"….Nothing else?"

"A pretty girl is never nothing." Tai declared.

Reisen is not used to being insistently complimented. Teased, true, but the flirting is kind of…

"You're very incorrigible, did you know that." She absent-mindedly told him.

"Maybe, but it isn't a lie." Tai shrugged. Reisen jerked in surprise that she said that out loud.

"Well, if you are fine miss, then I shall take my leave. I did just leave Keine-sensei without her knowledge. Next time, I will come back as a customer." Tai bowed towards Reisen. He waved at her, and turned around.

Reisen grabbed his shoulder.

"…?" Tai looked behind him.

"Umm, sorry, but please, look into my eyes." Reisen asked, serious.

Tai bit back the tease he had. He could tell that this was not a joke.

He looked into her eyes. Lovely, ruby-red, lunatic eyes.

Tai tilted his head to the side as he stared.

"…..Don't worry, I wasn't just teasing that you had pretty eyes." Tai decided to say. They have been staring at each other for a while.

Reisen let go of his shoulder. Tai shrugged, bowed again, and left.

Reisen just stared at him as he left.

She blinked.

* * *

"TAI-SAN! TAI-SA- There you are." Keine sensei huffed, fixing her hat back into position. She was running around the village looking for him. She looked put out that he just left her behind like that.

"Sorry. I saw something interesting." Tai easily replied.

Keine puffed up at that. She took her hat off with a flourish, grabbed his skull…

Bam.

Tai fell on his butt, clutching his head. His eyes watered as he looked at the bluenette put her bento-hat back on.

"…..I did deserve that." Tai admitted grudgingly.

He shrugged as he swept the dirt off his behind.

"Young man, when a person is talking to you, you do not just leave her hanging talking to the air for 10 minutes. That is simply disrespectful, and moreover…" Keine-sensei lectured again.

Tai marveled at how he became such a troublemaker, he was lectured at three times in one day. By the same person. And his head ached. Again.

Oh well, at least it wasn't because another UFG fell on him.

Bam.

He fell on his face again.

"Nyahahaha~ Got him Reimu~ You've been a bad boy ze~" Kirisame Marisa smirked at the boy she had pinned to the ground.

Tai said nothing. His face was muffled by the dirt.

Well, it certainly WASN'T a UFG. Just the G.


	4. The Scarlet Devil Mansion

Tai wondered how he got into such a peculiar position.

Then he remembered Marisa's need for speed and sighed.

He was hanging on the minute hand of a large clocktower, and his arms were getting tired. Marisa was launched into the roof of the tower and managed to miraculously survive, only being disoriented by the collision.

This would be a funny story later on. If he managed to survive. His finger slipped, and the remaining nine are struggling like hell.

He cannot help but feel like this was an elaborate joke that he was not privy to, despite the fact that he became an unwilling accomplice. Whoops. Eight more to go.

He was getting blinded by the shining white of the face of the clocktower. It was the middle of the afternoon and the sun beat down on his hanging body mercilessly. Gah. His hand slipped. Only five more.

Tai sighed. What a pickle. His face sweated from exertion, and his spine tingled with the electric nervousness of someone literally hanging on to dear life with one arm that was straining with effort it was never used to. He had to be specific because this memory would be special. Not every day one finds him, or herself, he reminded himself to be gender neutral, that one experienced a life and death situation so utterly comical.

Four and a half? His thumb slipped down a bit, and is now pressed tightly to the face of the minute hand.

Tai began to realize that death might be more than just 90% true. It might be 99%. Damn. Optimism failed him where cynicism beat him while he was down.

He flashbacked to what led to this situation.

Or he would have if he did not start falling.

He felt himself hang in mid-air. And he had a split second disembodied experience. He saw himself, frozen in mid-air, his face surprised, falling down nearly four-five stories.

He wanted to turn around and find the convenient flower garden that would soften his fall, then reminded himself that that only worked in fiction. And even if there was one, he did not gamble on seeing it, as it might make him truly and literally face impending death.

Damn. What a crap day it has been.

Then he fell. He felt like he left behind his guts near the top. He fell on his back, looking at an azure sky that was becoming farther away, wider, encompassing his entire view.

How beautiful. It is a great day to live.

Too bad he might die now.

…Oh well.

He kept his eyes open as he fell. He might as well. Whatever goes after this can come later.

If he will die, let him enjoy this last vie- Oh?

…What a save.

* * *

A girl in a green and white outfit with a beret panicked and sped after the hanging human man. The black-white decided to invade the Scarlet Devil Mansion again, and she tried a new tactic against the shameless thief.

She decided to take the initiative and shoot her down the moment she saw her. Oh, not directly at her. At the broom.

She heard rumors that the black-white might not need a broom to fly, but she might as well check that at that moment. She fired a charged danmaku bullet and sniped at the tail of the broom.

In her haste to take initiative, she got tunnel vision. Only when she fired the bullet did she see the man behind the black-white.

The black-white's flight trail got seriously derailed, and Marisa panicked as she tried getting back control. It would have worked too, if she was not so inexperienced in ferrying another passenger. The passenger instinctively panicked and tightened his hold on the witch, and he wobbled rather than worked with the shifting of the broom.

It must be specified that the black-white loved speed. And flew fast anywhere, everywhere. If there were aerial speed limits, she would be the habitual speeder riding down the road with a souped up motorcycle.

So she got into a mess of flight control while moving like a speeding bullet. The black-white saw that she would crash into the clocktower, screamed a spell in front of her, a flash of light, then a bunch of crack and thunder.

Then the human fell from the smoke and managed to grab on to the minute hand.

So the unknowing first-degree murderer/manslaughterer (The distinction blurs when it involves magic. Either you aimed to give a person eternal torment as a boil on someone's nostril or you made them explode. Success depends on the satisfaction the magic-user felt on the result.) panicked. She stamped the ground, boosted her leg strength to insane levels, dashed into the mansion, and high-jumped-flew towards the human man whose arms gave out.

She caught him in time. She sagged with relief, and tried to smile comfortingly at the human man.

Tai blinked at Meiling.

"…Thank you. It would have been unpleasant to die." Tai mused, his eyes staring up at Meiling.

Meiling blinked. Uwaah, how calm.

"KIRISAME MARISAAAAAAAAAA!" A roar of rage echoed in the property.

Meiling felt great fear. Hakurei Reimu rarely did rage. And most people rarely tried to induce it.

It was the black-white though. She'll be fine. Probably.

* * *

"OF ALL THE MORONIC, IDIOTIC THINGS TO DO…" Reimu raged, beating Marisa's poofy witch's hat with her gohei. Reimu compromised with herself. She would appear less of a monster in front of her donator by not raining danmaku death on the world by beating Marisa with a stick.

It was the perfect compromise. If only her gohei was a club. Then the Ordinary Black Witch would learn to fly at the damn speed limit!

Reimu believes that the entire world knows her speed limit. She beats them down otherwise if they don't follow it.

Marisa tried to calm down Reimu, but her pleas of innocence went unheard from the titanic, gravitational force of _Reimu's rage!_

Or something like that. Tai did not know why that thought was so amusing.

"So you are fine young man?" A Meiling in a green and white set of clothes and a green beret with a star signed 'DRAGON' asked him. The description matters because it amused him to no end. It tickled at his aesthetic sense. Or maybe he was a little light-headed from his brush with death.

Tai shrugged. Meiling grew worried at how calm the human seemed to be.

"Are you really okay? Do you need to sit down and calm your nerves?" Meiling tried to help the man. Perhaps he was in shock.

Tai blinked at Meiling and smiled at her. It was a friendly smile. "No need. I didn't die, so I'm fine."

Meiling stared at the man. It was certainly true. Still, what the heck?

Tai looked at the dressing down of the black-white, and finally got back to that flashback his near death rudely interrupted…

* * *

_Marisa flashed the victory sign at Reimu as she sat on Tai's back. He took his face off the dirt by putting his chin on his arms, and looked rather relaxed for a man being pinned by a pretty witch on the ground._

_Wait._

_Well, Keine was still shocked by the sudden take-down. She looked torn between helping up Tai and lecturing Marisa, or helping up Marisa so she can continue lecturing Tai._

_Why is she forced to face two troublemakers at the same time? She was used to well-behaved children. The caving is a tried and proven method that managed a few generations after all._

_Reimu sighed in annoyance. "Marisa, I said find him, not tackle him. And you! Why won't you fight back?!" Reimu pointed accusingly at Tai._

_Tai blinked at her owlishly. "Do you want me to?"_

_Reimu opened her mouth, then closed it. "You know what, whatever. Get up already, you're attracting stares." She carelessly waved it off, not feeling like arguing about it._

"_Hey, hey Reimu! Where's my reward for finding him ze?!" Marisa excitedly bounded towards the red-white miko. Marisa grabbed on to Reimu with a big bear hug and hung on bonelessly._

"_Hey, don't make me fall too! Calm down already Miss Witch Extraor- Urf." Reimu fell on her back._

_Tai rolled to his back and sat back down to seiza. He was surprisingly used to it already. So he liked to think as he worked through the mild discomfort._

"_What a beautiful friendship." Tai mimed drinking a cup of tea, sighing like an old man._

_Keine pinched the bridge of her nose._

"_Ugh. Stop sitting on the ground. It is dirtying your clothes. And stop horsing around you two. You are already grown up." Keine reprimanded the trio._

_Reimu was squirming under Marisa who was laughing joyously. What a carefree girl._

_Tai found another store. It was selling tools. Carpenter tools, but it still spoke to the man in Tai. He got up and walked off to go in there. Or he would have, but Keine grabbed his ear._

"…_Ouch." Tai admitted._

"_Stop wandering when people are talking to you young man! Honestly!" Keine was becoming miffed. The outsider seemed well-behaved, but rather scatter-brained. It worried Keine about how he will deal with the youkai in Gensokyo if he remained so careless. And he did so well actually paying attention to her lectures. If only he didn't wander to something that caught his interest immediately, like a moth to the flame._

"_My ears listen but my feet fear no evil. The foolishness of youth is sometimes the only freedom that can be afforded to the young." Tai philosophically declared._

"_The cat that became too curious died because it wasn't serious." Keine shot back._

"_Then it came back because it had nine lives and blamed the eaten goldfish." Tai instinctively replied._

"_Which caused lightning to strike twice because karma is due whatever you do." Keine was led on into more nonsense sophistry._

"_And inspiration struck and they hit gold. It could not have happened if he did not decide to walk into the dark and fell down the hole." Tai wasn't even trying anymore._

"_And in the hole and the dark, the fall broke the fool's leg, and he found gold and found it worthless in the very end as he remained the fool with a broken leg stuck in a hole." Keine almost seemed mesmerized. She was actually enjoying herself. It was a game with no real rules and they were playing and making it up as they went._

"_And the fool dreamed big and hoped with all his might as he crawled away, and a tiny light in the end led to a freedom he knew he will find. Sometimes all it takes is will." Tai was amused. How long will Keine-sensei continue with such an impromptu game?_

"_And the fool cursed and kicked the wagon with gold and willed with all his might, demanding the gods move to help him move it, and they replied, they will not help those who do not help themselves." Keine proudly riposted._

"_Then the fool found it funny how hard he worked at the wagon, when all he ever needed were his feet and his mind. Then he took his first step and traveled around the world." Tai was getting into it._

"_The fool tripped on a magic mushroom and made it into stew. It was delicious, then he turned into a frog." Marisa butted in, enthusiastically joining the game._

"_And the frog hopped around, and his body his heart did miss, when a kind maiden cured him with a kiss." Reimu boredly added in._

"…_?" Tai and Keine looked at Marisa and Reimu weirdly._

"_What on Earth/the Dragon are you two talking about?" They chorused._

_Marisa blinked as Reimu face-palmed._

_The small crowd that gathered around the four sensed that the weird show ended and dispersed, their smiles bemused._

_Tai and Keine just stared at the other two, still bewildered about what they said._

_Reimu shook her head, her face still in her palm._

"…_.Wanna go somewhere fun?" Marisa chirped._

"_Sure." Tai shrugged._

_So Tai climbed on behind Marisa as Reimu floated, and they flew off. Keine waved them goodbye, slightly sad that the game prematurely ended. Then she shook her head and blinked._

"_Oooh! He didn't let me lecture him!"_

* * *

"Taaaai! Reimu won't let me speak a word in!" Marisa tearfully crawled over to Tai as she pouted up at him.

"Mean Reimu-san, don't bully little Marisa-tan." Tai drawled out, smiling.

"Ugh. Don't get caught in her pace Tai. I don't think I can deal with two." Reimu sighed.

Meiling scratched her head, unsure on how to deal with the scene.

"….Ah! Please leave the garden. You are not invited in." Meiling remembered, and politely asked them.

"Don't you think you're not a part of this, CHINA." Reimu hissed poisonously. Meiling felt a cold sweat.

"We're always invited ze~ Patchouli wouldn't let me borrow so many books otherwise ze~" Marisa cheerfully sang out, standing up and fixing her hat.

"Don't you mean steal, Miss Witch Extraordinaire?" Reimu accused. Reimu whispered to Tai. "Never let her near your possessions."

"Hey! You're giving the new guy false impressions ze! Listen Tai, I ain't a thief! I just borrow things until I die~" Marisa explained. With a triple layer of excitement, smugness, and cheer.

"Oh? How reasonable. They should just wait until you die then." Tai played along, completely amused with that statement.

"See?! He understands~ Youkai live longer anyways, so it's just like a week for them~" Marisa continued, enjoying the support and the twitch Reimu and Meiling were making.

"A week for a youkai is still a week. And 100 years is still 100 years." A tired and annoyed voice responded.

The strange foursome turned to face a purple-haired woman with a pink pajama and an equally pink nightcap glaring at them.

"What is with the disturbance? And why are you here, rat?" She WAS irritated, and yet strangely resigned with the situation. As if she has experienced this so often that it became a bothersome habit.

That rose bush looks magnificient. Those flowers are incredibly picturesque, Tai marveled.

He walked over to the bush in order to look closer while the four women argued and bantered behind him.

He saw a bush rustle and turned his attention to it.

A blonde-haired child with crystal wings, white cap, and red dress peered up at him from the bush. She ducked down again, and tried to surreptitiously open the bushes to look at him.

Tai blinked. How strange.

In respect to the child's wishes, he ignored her in favor of looking at the flowers.

What a strange color. It looked like a harmonious mix between royal purple and magenta that created a warm, inviting color. It looked edible, smelled like rich red wine, and looked so delicate and perfect that it would have been easier to believe it was a sculpture than a living thing.

Curious as to whether or not it was real and yet afraid of breaking it if he was, he continued just marveling at it. Then he moved on, around the rose bushes, and looked at the tree.

It looked well-cared for, solid, and more importantly, perfect. The right amount bark, and right amount branches, and a verdant green canopy without a single dried or plucked leaf.

It was kind of unnerving. He felt like he stepped in a fantasy and into a painting.

Wow. A sentence that might have never been thought before. He was sleepy.

He decided to sit down at the base, lean back on it, and close his eyes.

He couldn't believe how comfortable this was. What the heck. The bark should be irritating his back, and the grass should be making his legs itch, and yet it felt…Natural to sleep like this.

So he fell asleep. It was the best sleep of his life.

All one minute of it.

"Oof." The blonde little girl sat on him. She looked up at him curiously and suspiciously, with her crimson-red eyes.

"Who are you onii-chan? Why are you with red-white and black-white?" She asked childishly.

Tai blinked at her. "Oh, they invited me to come with them."

"Why would they invite you to come into my home? They don't own it."

"I do not really know. You could ask them if you want."

The little girl glared at him dangerously. "You're lying."

"Nope."

Flandre Scarlet blinked.

"What?"

"I'm not lying."

"…I don't believe you."

"Why not?"

"Because you are lying?"

"What if I'm not?"

"…What if you are?"

"Then it is up to you."

Flandre tilted her head to the side. "…I don't understand."

"I do not believe I lied. You believe I did. In the end, it is a choice between trusting me or trusting you."

"…Why shouldn't I trust myself?"

"Because if you trust yourself and believe I'm a liar, we can't become friends. If you trust me and believe I'm telling you the truth, we can become friends."

"…What if I don't want you as a friend?"

"Then that's your choice, isn't it." Tai replied easily, looking Flandre straight in the eye. Okay, sometimes his eyes flickered to the garden. Damn, it is so beautiful. If he had an ounce of artistic skill, he could make a masterpiece just from copying down what he is seeing.

Flandre seriously considered those words.

"…You're weird. Do you want me to be your friend?"

"Sure. Friends are always good to have and make."

"Then let me suck your blood." Flandre finished, absolutely sure now that this human would refuse, and completely prove her point that-

"Okay."

-that she couldn't trust hi- What?

"What?" Her thoughts echoed.

"Ah, but don't suck me dry." Tai asked politely. He smiled at her pleasantly, as if they were just discussing their days with each other.

Flandre's resolve wavered.

"…Why would you let me suck your blood?"

"Without draining me." Tai corrected.

Flandre ignore that and glared at him with great suspicion.

"…Isn't it clear?"

Flandre got angry. "Are you calling me stupid?" She tightened her grip on the man.

Tai felt the girl tighten her hold on his shoulders. Huh. Girl is really strong.

"I guess you are-"

Flandre's eyes flashed.

"But I still want to be your friend." Tai finished.

Flandre paused.

"…Why aren't you scared? Black-white and red-white won't be able to help you on time."

"Why should I be?"

"You do not fear me?" The concept was so new that Flandre couldn't even believe what she said.

"Should I?"

Flandre paused again. She hesitated. People feared her naturally with her powers and race. Did she like it that way?

…No. People became like that naturally. It was never really her choice.

Still…It's not like she minded it.

"…You're weird."

"Thank you."

"I'll drink from you then."

Flandre bared her fangs. Still no fear. She grabbed his head and made Tai bare his neck. She felt no resistance as Tai did it himself.

She bit down.

She drank in her first taste of blood from an actual, direct feeding. She felt light-headed, the taste was great as she remembered. She sucked and sucked and screw this stupid human, he will be dra-

"_Then it is up to you."_

"_What if I don't want to be your friend?"_

"_Then that's your choice, isn't it."_

Her choice…

She hasn't really made one in nearly 500 years.

Flandre paused, then popped her fangs out. She licked the bite and it healed over.

"…You're still weird onii-chan."

"I make a weird friend." Tai cheekily responded.

Flandre looked at him strangely.

"So you will let me suck your blood each time you come over."

"Without draining me."

"Without draining you." Flandre added.

"Sure."

"Okay...I'm Flandre Scarlet."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Tai."

A pause. The silence went on for a few minutes as they just stared at each other.

"…Now what?"

"You have any board games?"

* * *

"Does that man have a death wish? Honestly, if it wasn't for his donation…" Reimu grumbled, looking for her wayward donator.

"Honestly Reimu, you worry too much! What's the worst that can happen?" Marisa pointed out.

Reimu, Meiling, and Patchouli just stared at Marisa. Hard.

"What?"

"Shut up rat." Patchouli snapped off, annoyed at this time-waster of a chore. It would take too long to go to the mansion and call Sakuya to search for a man that couldn't have left the garden. It was the most efficient plan of action. She still didn't like it.

"Honestly you two, why would you bring a normal human in here? Even if he is an outsider." Meiling worried. Honestly, how did these careless teenage girls beat them again?

Oh right. Incredible skill and overwhelming power.

Meiling pouted to herself. If only they fought spellcard battles hand to hand…

They combed the garden, looking for trails of the wayward human.

As they turned around to find the patio area, they all almost had a heart attack.

Tai had Flandre on his lap as they played Battleship.

"…A1."

"Damn it onii-chan, how are you guessing it correctly?!"

"Flandre-chan, you need to really spread out your ships. You keep stacking them in the corner."

"How did you know?! Is that your power, are you psychic?!"

"…Flandre-chan, you do realize this game would be a lot harder on me if you played on the other side and not let me see your side of the board?"

"But I want to sit on you. Aren't you my friend?"

"Yep."

"So I'm sitting on you."

"…Well, it's not like I mind…Your turn."

Reimu and Marisa almost rushed over, but Meiling grabbed them.

"Is he absolutely INSANE?! Don't he realize who he's messin' with?!" Marisa hissed.

"That man has a death wish! Let go of me China, or so help me I will Fantasy Heaven you in the face!" Reimu heatedly demanded.

Meiling looked very happy. "The Young Mistress made a friend today. Don't disturb them."

Patchouli just kept gaping.

"Oho? Well well, if it isn't Reimu and the thie- What in Dracula's name." A blue-haired little girl with a white set of pajamas and black wings entered grandiosely and then failed to stick it as she gaped at the scene.

"B1 to B10!"

"You can't just call an entire line Flandre-chan."

"But you're my friend right?"

"Flandre-chan, you're really abusing the friendship system here."

"So you're not my friend?" Flandre glared at him, eyes flashing lunatic red.

The onlookers held their breath.

"Because I'm your friend that I can tell you that you're cheating. Don't be an idiot now Flandre-chan." Tai softly flicks her head. Flandre flinched, wide-eyed.

Reimu, Marisa, Patchouli, and the little blue-nette went pale.

"…Fine. I get it. B4."

"You missed."

"I didn't cheat this time. So reward me with some of your blood."

"Nope. The deal was whenever I came here. And you clearly acknowledge your cheating huh…"

"Dammit."

"…Who the hell is that human?" The little blue-haired girl asked, completely aghast at what she is seeing.

"…Reimu's donator." Marisa managed to say.

"My stupid outsider donator." Reimu echoed.

A silver-haired teen with a cool look and an actual, legit French maid outfit appeared behind Remilia, holding a tray of refreshments.

"Ojou-sama, would you care for some…" The maid stopped. Meiling caught the tray as she shone with glee.

"…What am I looking at."

"The Young Mistress made a friend! All by herself!" Meiling gushed excitedly.

The maid turned woodenly towards Reimu and Marisa.

"…Flandre made a friend." Reimu said dully.

"Holy crap Reimu, he's got steel balls for an outsider." Marisa awed.

"I'm bored onii-chan. Let's play Tag."

The blue-nette, the maid, Patchouli, and even Meiling paled at that.

"Alright. Who's it?"

"Kyuu."

"FLANDRE SCARLET, DON'T YOU DARE!" The blue-nette screamed out loud.

The maid disappeared.

Patchouli got out her grimoire.

Meiling dashed over.

Reimu, getting intense vibes of utter dread when the words 'Tag' came out, took out her Ying-Yang Orbs.

Marisa aimed her Master Spark, charging wildly, instinctively copying Reimu's instinct. She couldn't be Reimu's friend without learning to believe in that incredibly accurate instinct.

The moment the maid reached Tai, and grabbed his collar to pull him away, time came back. Her eyes widened.

Flandre crushed Tai's 'Eye.'

The world stopped for a moment. Everyone flinched in unison, closing their eyes from the incredibly explosive gore.

"….You keep doing that when you ask to play Tag. Do you not know how to count?" Tai teased Flandre.

Flandre pouted at him, hiding her own continual shock.

"…Why can't I break your 'Eye'?" Flandre demanded. She has been trying ever since she decided to draw him to the patio area. She was conflicted on that offer of his, of whether it was genuine. She decided to screw it all and 'kyuu' him instead for making her head ache. She would just take the punishment for it. What's another year or decade to five centuries after all? But…

"And I CAN do count!"

"Then you should start counting to one hundred and then I hide and then you can-"

"Wait, isn't that Hide and Seek?" Flandre asked, confused.

"Is it? Oh right… Want to play Hide and Seek then? Outside the garden, I'm not sure we're allowed to play inside- Oh. Hello there. How are you today? And why are you grabbing my collar?" Tai noticed the frozen Izayoi Sakuya.

Flandre and Tai blinked at the group.

"Oh, hello people I know and do not know. We were just about to play Hide and Tag. Want to join?" Tai asked pleasantly.

Flandre forgot her anger and astonishment at the thought of playing with her sister. "Yeah, join us! It'll be fun onee-sama!"

Patchouli fell to her knees and sighed deeply. "What on Earth…?"

"TAI!" Reimu and Marisa screamed out.

A Ying-Yang Orb fell on his head. Then it was followed by a mild Master Spark.

He passed out as he hit the table, smoking. Flandre flew above him, staring at him, annoyed.

"…You're cheating onii-chan. Why can't I 'kyuu' you and they can hit you?" Flandre muttered.


	5. Eientei

Reimu and Marisa watched as Tai laid on the bed, looking haggard and worried. They felt guilty about putting him there. They may not have had bad intentions, but the end-result of their actions still led to this.

A grayish-blue haired woman, with sharp eyes and a blue and red outfit entered the room. She perused an unusual device. It looked like a rectangular piece of glass, except writing kept floating on top of it at high-speeds. It was not of any language they knew of, so Reimu and Marisa just gave it a glance and looked back.

"…Honestly you two. You need to rein in your impulses better. As incident solvers, we need you calm and efficient after all." The woman admonished them, fixing her hat. It looked like a typical nurse's hat, except it was also blue and red.

Reimu and Marisa said nothing, but they slumped further down.

"…Still, you two cannot take the whole blame into this." The woman acknowledged. She tapped the glass at certain points, and writing seemed to fly between the machine next to Tai, which seemed to keep track of his vitals and kept him in what seemed to count as an IV drip. If IV drips came as words. Magical words, but still.

"Who knew that the outsider could be…'Allergic' to danmaku?"

* * *

_Tai remained smoking on the table, the Ying Yang Orb still lying on top of his head._

"_Flandre Scarlet, you and I will have words." An annoyed blue-nette warned her little sister who looked down._

_Sakuya sighed and vanished, and suddenly the damage from Marisa's Master Spark (No matter how mild Marisa made it, it remained a giant laser of power and love) was fixed or cleaned up._

_Patchouli stood back up, and went over to the unconscious Tai. "Remarkable. A human with the ability to just….Ignore the little sister's ability."_

_Reimu huffed. "That weird power still doesn't give him the right to be so careless. And make me worry." She grumbled to herself. Honestly, why did she continue to protect humans who just go out of their way to find another elaborate manner in which to kill themselves and each other?_

_Oh right. She's the Hakurei miko._

_Marisa wiped off the sweat running down her face. She didn't think she could panic so many times in just a few minutes. Not even danmaku made her feel that rush._

_They should do it again~-_

"_No." Reimu instantly said._

"_No?" Marisa pleaded._

"_NO." Reimu insisted._

"…_.Yes?" Marisa tried again._

"_Yes."_

"_Really?"_

"_No."_

"…_.No to the yes, or no to the no?"_

"_Marisa, shut up." Reimu massaged her forehead. Ugh, humans. Youkai. Humans and youkai. They could be so annoying._

_Patchouli muttered under her breath, and various spells were cast over the form of Tai. She continued concentrating, curiosity shining brighter and brighter every second._

"…_.Amazing….Is it a natural defense? But it would require years of arcane study to get to the point that you can just inscribe the whole matrix and sealing body within a free-willed sentient…And several more generations of being immersed within the matrix…Which would imply an environment where people purposefully break their own spells within the confines of their homes in order to feed the matrix carved into the mana of the spirituality of the dual facet… It would be helpful if I can actually study the enchantment, but the very nature of the enchantment itself prevents arcane study from an exterior force…" Patchouli muttered. And, Patchouli mused to herself, the theory to the phenomenon she was watching was only a thought exercise to begin with. A legend at best. She never expected to see it happen in front of her._

_She doesn't even know if it IS happening in front of her. She sees some inconsistencies already just from her constant testi-_

"_Stop experimenting on a sleeping man. Honestly, you magicians! You don't have an ounce of discipline when you get your curiosity all tickled." Reimu complained, standing in front of Patchouli._

_Patchouli frowned at Reimu. "This is a golden opportunity to study the closest thing magic theorized to be the inherent nature of a chaotic being like youkai and humans adapting the very essence of the arcane energies that pervade this world as another feature of their life, creating order. A preposterous notion as adding two chaotic forces to create order seemed antithetical to the natural order of the universe where chaos begets chaos and order begets order. Most magicians learn how to draw in the arcane from the outside and bring it to within a sphere of influence in front of the cas-"_

"_Oi. I don't want to learn witchcraft." Reimu interrupted waving her off._

"_I do!" Marisa shamelessly piped up._

"_-ter, leading to the spiritual facet of the duality of the soul to allow the Carry-Modify-Transfer-Create Phenomenon 17 into the physical facet that we can easily perceive with the senses. Then the sense data is altered in such a way that the soul itself creates a sympathetic reverberation with the outside universe and the universe carrying over the information within the reverberation, the will of the spiritual facet, into the physical facet of the world, and the sense data of the physical facet of the world interprets the spiritual will to be the physical will and adjusts accordingly, adjusting perception in such a way as to cause magical phenomenon, which affects the other party once the physical facet sends the adjusted sense data to the other spiritual facet. Meaning the change inherent in the chaotic vectors of the arcane can be actualized in a manner that would seem to be order but is not, as the chaos just increases the probability and acts as an engine of actualization. Which is what Emrys Merlin theorized to be the method of actualization he used to see into the future as he did not in fact 'receive' visions from the future but that he willed 'to gain information into a time advanced forth from when he was'…"_

"_Basically, magician think do, universe do do." Marisa succinctly summarized for Reimu._

"…_.Thank you Marisa. That was remarkably helpful." Reimu sighed._

"_But it is different for this man. The man reversed the process. No, it would be easier to believe that he added one. The spiritual facet of Flandre's ability and Phenomenon 17 acted in such a way as to actualize her destructive will, causing a reverberation that basically included the premise of 'allow the volatile, energetic destruction of that man's existence as I perceive him'. But his spiritual facet gained the reverberation first instead of the physical, so the will failed to be transferred over from the spiritual to the physical world, or from Flandre to the outside of her world, essentially being the man over here. His physical aspect did not need to adjust the sense data because his spiritual will gained a permanent will to actualize Phenomenon 18, which is Deconstruct-Modify-Transfer-Break, and adjusted Flandre's 'will' to adjust his sense data in such a way that her will of 'allow the volatile, energetic destruction of that man's existence as I perceive him' to 'allow me the volative, energetic destruction of that man's existence as I perceive him?' or any other myriad of wills, and so two chaotic elements, Flandre's will and the man's will actualized a negation as they transferred to the man's physical facet, which adjusted and returned to his spiritual facet, which willed that he was in fact not destroyed…"_

"_Wait, are you telling me that Tai is actually…"_

"_Yes black-white. I'm surprised you managed to keep up with this."_

"_Hey! I don't borrow books from you for no reason you know."_

"…" _Patchouli stopped half-muttering to herself as she glared at Marisa._

_Reimu, Sakuya, Meiling, the blue-nette, and Flandre looked at the two with consternation._

"_What the heck is that gobbledeygook you guys have been saying for a while?" Reimu snapped off._

"_I do agree with Reimu here…Can you explain what that meant in layman's terms Patchy? We're not all as versed in arcane lore as you are."_

"_Ahahaha…" Meiling scratched her head, holding the tray with one hand. She got lost after Patchouli's first sentence._

_Patchouli sighed as she wondered how to dumb down the explanation._

"_Basically, Tai is ignoring what Flandre is trying to do to him!" Marisa cheerfully explained._

_Patchouli grumbled. Still, that seems to be what is happening…The legendary Spell Resistance that occurred when two chaotic energies managed to make order. It seemed that the process that stymied many arcane researchers was that they missed the last step, which was that two chaotic energies actualize an order, or perceivable phenomenon, that would be communicated with the second chaos a second time in order to finish the actual actualization that the creature being affected wanted, which was to negate, essentially that it required two simultaneous actualizations to occur using three chaos and two order…No, two different chaos and two different order with one chaos acting twice…_

_Flandre felt miffed. "He's IGNORING me?"_

"…_Well, as rude as that may be, in this case he is right to ignore your murderous intent Flandre dear. Remember what I always said?" The blue-nette reminded her._

"…_Power should be wielded with charisma and grace. If swung around mindlessly and carelessly, we differ not from a dumb beast…" Flandre sullenly said._

"_Good girl." The blue-nette patted Flandre's head. Flandre brightened up considerably._

_Reimu looked at them with even more consternation. She's been having a stressful day so far._

"_Ojou-sama, what shall we do with Flandre-ojou-sama's new…Friend." Sakuya tried out that label. It was so odd._

"_Well, since red-white and black-white knocked him out, I guess we can't play anymore." Flandre said, disappointed. She lost her chance to actually play with her onee-sama because her stupid 'friend' decided to pass out. If he wasn't capable of just ignoring her ability, she would 'kyuu' him just for that offense._

…_She's grasping a slippery eel of a thought. What is it…?_

_She can't 'kyuu' him. At all. And…_

_She made enough force to actually crush his bones and…_

_Wait. Did that mean…_

_Flandre was used to a routine. It revolved around a painful truth. Every toy/friend she focused on broke._

_Wait, wait, wait._

_A sudden epiphany. It should have been obvious, but that truth has been the core of her life for nearly half a millennium made her not realize it in time._

_He…He can't break? Because of her? SHE can't make him BREAK?_

_Flandre suddenly felt breathless. Her mind blanked. Possibilities she could never let herself entertain started slipping past her instability._

_She was very confused. Maybe she should 'kyuu' something?_

_She crushed the 'Eye' of the tree where she found him sleeping._

_Boom._

"_FLANDRE SCARLET!"_

* * *

_Sakuya watched the chaos degenerate in front of her. She sighed in her mind as she held on to her aloof expression. She already lost her composure once that day. She won't let a second time if she can help it._

_She stepped closer to the smoking man. She inspected him curiously as her Ojou-sama scolded Flandre-ojou-sama again and Marisa and Patchouli kept discussing magic. Reimu seemed put out by everything and decided to just eat what was in the tray Meiling held. Meiling is still trying to keep up with the two magicians and failed._

_She stopped time again. She moved her hand closer, and she was barely touching his face when she stopped. The world was still stopped._

_She touched his face ever so gently, and suddenly the background conversations returned._

_Sakuya stopped time again. This time she touched his clothes. Again._

_Time stopped being stopped._

_Sakuya was impressed. That was quite a mighty power to have in Gensokyo. The Spell Resistance that Patchouli-ojuo-sama kept discussing would be an absolutely overpowering asset in danmaku. If this outsider ever wanted to get into it._

_Sakuya felt a quirk in her lips. She would enjoy the competition. She did not need her power to completely dominate in the name of the Scarlet Devil -_

_Sakuya paused. She was so focused in her experiment that she barely noticed it. She touched his face again. Rough._

_Sakuya's eyes widened. She gently tried to make the man sit up and look at his face._

_She gasped._

"_Ojou-sama!"_

* * *

Patchouli came by with them, a little concerned and also frustrated. There was a small scene when Flandre demanded she come with them. Thankfully Remi managed to calm the girl down, though she was surprised to see that that 'friendship' might actually be real.

Still, she didn't need to imagine what the Lunarians might think if they let Flandre come to Eientei.

She can't believe she overlooked it. If this was really the legendary Spell Resistance she heard so much about, then both Reimu and Marisa's attacks would have failed too.

What was the difference between their attacks and Flandre's?

…Reimu and Marisa's attacks were governed by the Spell Card System.

Patchouli cannot believe she let herself make that obvious oversight. And she remained curious then as to what is actually happening. If he does not have Spell Resistance, how did he completely bypass the actualization of Flandre's power?

"Is it a mana opposition attack?"

"No Patchouli-san. Even if your theory is true, there would still be mana coursing through his body to actually allow Phenomenon 17 and 18 to occur simultaneously. He doesn't have any magic. For any intents and purposes, he is a normal human male. A normal human who seems to be the first ever case of danmaku affecting him lethally."

"…I see." That diagnosis killed every theory Patchouli had. She was flummoxed. How can it be a non-magical phenomenon that could negate a magical phenomenon? That is like saying you can stop a speeding cart by letting the day turn into the night. Two separate phenomenona completely isolated from each other. And…Why the weakness to normally non-lethal danmaku? The Spell Card System Reimu made herself was perfect in its conception and use. She looked over it herself.

"…How is he Eirin?" Reimu whispered, subdued.

"He has second-degree burns and his skull was fractured slightly. Thankfully the bone did not completely crack and pierce his brain or I would need to perform brain surgery. I have him under a regiment of Lunarian curatives and he should be fine by tomorrow."

"Heh. How much does this cost doc?" Marisa weakly smiled.

"…Do not worry about the cost. I shall let this be a favor done for you girls. Eientei does owe you two for solving incidents." The woman, presumably the doctor, assured them.

Reimu said nothing. She could only look at the donator…No, Tai who has been rather peaceful if annoying and how much she kept telling him to beware the dangers of Gensokyo...

It shook her up that she became one of them.

She was the Hakurei miko dammit. Her duty was to protect the humans from youkai! Not endanger them herself.

She sighed deeply.

* * *

The doctor waved as Reimu, Marisa, and Patchouli flew off. She waited until she knew they were really gone before she hurried back into Tai's room.

She conjured from out of nowhere every single Lunarian piece of tech meant to analyze and study the biology, chemistry, and magic of any creature.

She got the same result.

A normal, if out of shape, human. 21 years old.

The woman bit her thumb. If what Patchouli Knowledge told and what Reimu and Marisa verified for her was true, then she should be seeing SOME kind of anomaly to the human that could cause his seeming immunity to the special powers of Gensokyo's residents.

It shocked her that when she called her assistant, Udongein, into the room to help her dress the patient accordingly for treatment, Udongein actually recognized him.

She felt a brief stab of amusement at the concern her Inaba showed then the crimson hue that remained painted on her face the entire time they changed him.

Still, Udongein told her the same thing, unknowingly corroborating with what the others said. He seemed utterly immune to her lunatic eyes.

Which brings up the interesting question…

Why is the Spell Card System so lethal for the man?

She searched for anomalies that might cause his magical immunity, then she looked for anomalies that might explain his apparent phenomena rejection…She looked for any anomalies at all.

No, what her instruments are telling her have been the exact same thing. The man was absolutely normal. Mundane. Though if her Inaba's story was true then perhaps amusing and pleasant.

She would have used a more direct magical diagnosis, but her first attempt made her recognize their claims as fact. Even her own Lunarian magic failed against the man.

It's been the first time she has ever been so confused in her long life as the Brain of the Moon.

She smirked slightly to herself. Perhaps that's why it has been so fun…

* * *

_**The world was cracking around him.**_

_**He kept running. He ran through the streets of an abandoned town, he ran through the fields of wheat and corn, he ran down the road in the desert. He ran.**_

_**If he stopped for one second, he will die.**_

_**He kept counting. He doesn't know why, but if he stopped counting, he will die.**_

_**And yet, once he finally counted down to zero, he will die.**_

_**He ran past other people running from the end. He ran past them, even as they tried to trip him, each other, themselves… Maliciously, kindly, angrily, clumsily, hopelessly, all manners of motivations and emotions blanketed the air.**_

_**The ones who tripped stopped moving, so they died. And everyone knew that, and they kept doing it.**_

_**He can't look back. If he did, he would see the end. And he would never be able to move his eyes away, and he will just stop moving and die.**_

…_**What was the point? Won't he die anyways when counts down to 0?**_

_**100054, 100053, 100052…**_

_**What a hopeless existence? What's the point of moving on when the end is assured?**_

_**100033, 100032, 100031…**_

_**He thought that. He believed that. Hopelessness, anger, emptiness, apathy. He wasn't one of the kind ones. He did not trip anyone else, but it was not like he stopped anyone from doing so.**_

_**He was too busy running himself. He only focused on himself.**_

_**And he no longer saw any point in doing so.**_

…_**So why does he keep running? Why is he still counting?**_

* * *

When Tai woke up again, he felt violated. Like someone kept poking him with weird, highly invasive instruments in order to penetrate his deepest, darkest secrets.

This felt familiar. He must be in a hospital.

Tai felt groggy. He was covered with bandages again. What a worrying pattern.

He sat up and felt stiff. He didn't feel any pain though.

_White-hot pain, searing the skin and senses. A heavy weight crashing on his head. A brief moment of eternal burning, then the blackness of unconsciousness._

Damn. His body is feeling sympathetic pains all over. He felt so tender.

How annoying. Recover already body! You're awake, so stop hurting! Tai commanded himself.

If only our own bodies cooperated with our minds so well. Humanity would have accomplished so many great things.

Or at least made fewer messes.

"…You are awake? Remarkable. You are up four hours earlier than expected." Yagokoro Eirin greeted him with a smile.

Eirin WAS honestly surprised. Though Lunarian medicine did have this kind of effect on earthlings. It simply worked better on them.

"…Hello. I would like some water doctor." Tai rasped out. Damn his throat hurt.

Eirin nodded and got him some water. Reisen walked in with a tray and a pot of tea.

"Master, here is the tea you- Huh?" Reisen looked surprised at Tai.

Tai tried to smile pleasantly at Reisen. He managed to at least make an expression above a grimace.

"Hello Reisen-dojikko-san. You look lovely today too."

Tai delighted in how easy it is to make the bunny girl blush as he drank.

"Muuu…I am not a dojikko." Reisen complained as she set down the tray, trying to push back her blush. She felt mortified that she was praised like that in front of her master.

"Ahahaha~ Indeed, I take great pride in how stylish and beautiful my servant is~ It is great to see others appreciate her." Eirin agreed mirthfully.

"Master!" Reisen yelped.

"Indeed. You have all cause to be appreciative of her. Her adorable ears, her beautiful body, her pretty face, and those gorgeous ruby-red eyes." Tai nodded seriously.

Reisen wasn't sure how to take that. From both of them. She was used to being teased in other ways, but certainly not through flattery.

"Yes, I have always said that her greatest feature were her eyes." Eirin agreed.

No you haven't! Reisen complained.

"They are quite lovely. They shine with an inner light that is entrancing, and they can easily capture your whole focus by how they seemed to glow in the light." Tai praised.

Eirin smiled at Tai. Reisen caught on at the last second.

"Oh? You are quite generous with your flattery."

"It happens when I see something so interesting. I have never seen eyes with shades of red like hers."

"Indeed. From when we came from, we call it lunatic red."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"It is a special set of eyes that Udongein has. People who look into it tend to go insane."

Eirin watched the man closely for his reaction. Reisen is kind of hurt in how her Master just bluntly told her new friend that.

"Oh? That's quite interesting."

Eirin blinked at that. Tai seemed very…Calm about it. Like she just told him something as mundane like Udongein just went to the hair salon and got a new haircut.

Reisen blinked at Tai owlishly.

"…Really sensei? Because I'm looking at her in the eyes and nothing is happening." Tai asked. Calmly.

Eirin felt a stab of annoyance at that. Why is he so calm?

Reisen's eyes widened and looked away, then hesitated and looked back. Tai raised an eyebrow at her. She flushed, embarrassed. Right. Immune to her eyes. She didn't know how to feel about that.

"…Indeed. We are quite curious as to why that is." Eirin calmly explained.

Tai tilted his head to the side.

Eirin tilted her head to the same side.

Reisen felt compelled to do the same.

"….Dunno." He easily said.

Eirin felt her eyebrow twitch.

* * *

Eirin tried to wheedle any sort of information on him while he was attached to her machine. The finest life monitor that she adjusted to act like a truth and thought detector (Lunarian technology cares not for intellectual rights, both actual and metaphorical). She only felt frustrated in the end.

He honestly has no idea.

Eirin truly cannot fathom how it is possible for a human like him, with that kind of power, this kind of weakness, and that kind of calmness, could possibly not know. Or, or care.

He didn't care at all!

She asked him if he wanted her to test him for the reason why he had that power, and he declined. He said that he wanted to walk around Gensokyo some more and did not want to be held back by the testing.

Technically she already did all the testing she could. It was the principle of the matter though!

Eirin blew out a breath. Well, the patient has spoken, so she will release him. But a few hours from now, as she still had to make sure he was good to go.

She left Udongein with the boy and went to gather her notes.

There must be some sort of explanation…

* * *

After a rousing time of suggesting Reisen feed him and mock seduction that made her face turn red the whole time, he was finally left alone.

He laid on that bed, the past few events washing over him.

He frowned.

* * *

He got up and walked around Eientei. It was an elegant Japanese style mansion with the whole works. Shiny wooden floors, bamboo doors, tatami mats, little rabbits running around cleaning the place…

Tai spent a few minutes just watching the rabbits. He felt his heart become warm just from watching the fluffy adorableness.

They inexplicably polished, swept, mopped, and even a few were washing and drying clothes.

Without hands. It was absolutely amazing.

Perhaps the rabbits in the area have some telekinetic powers? From what he is looking at however, they somehow just attach their bodies to the tools and deftly manipulate it from beside them. It COULD be telekinetic, though why it must constantly be attached to them, he doesn't have a clue.

He walked on. As cute as rabbits were, there was only so much white his eyes could take before he started feeling blind.

There was a faint thought about that kind of thinking being misconstrued in some political way, but he ignored it. He's feeling too good to worry about politics.

Besides, he's lost. The hallways are rather long. Much longer than he expected, and the doors all look the same. He might as well just start opening doors.

He opened door number one.

Twenty rabbits looked back at him. They all collectively blinked before going back to cooking.

He closed door number one.

He opened door number two.

He looked as an incomprehensible being waved at him as it got out of the shower. His mind twisted in such a way as to save it from going absolutely bonkers from seeing its true form. He vaguely recognized the tentacle face and bat-like wings.

He closed door number two.

He opened door number three.

He saw what looked like to be the future of modern laboratories, when everything is painted chrome and keyboards are replaced by light-based interfaces. There are jars and beakers filled with weird substances. There appeared to be central fixture in the lab which had one elaborate ceramic pot, with paintings of the moon and rabbit-eared people fighting against a myriad of shadow beasts. In the center of the pot, leading the charge of the rabbit people, is a magnificent, majestic looking woman with a bow, heavenly light over her head as she glared at the incoming horde.

He closed door number three.

He opened door number four.

Houraisan Kaguya looked up, confused on who disturbed her alone time. She was playing on a new game console the Inaba brought in from Kourindou. Eirin easily set it up for her, and she has been playing some fighting game for a while now.

"Oh? A guest. Hello, and welcome to my abode." Kaguya elegantly stood and bowed.

"Hello. I am Tai. I'm from the Outside World and I am a patient actually." Tai introduced himself, bowing back.

"Injured? I do hope you recover soon. I am Houraisan Kaguya. And the Outside World? How intriguing." Kaguya's eyes shone with excitement. She hasn't conversed with anyone from outside Gensokyo in…What must be centuries by now.

"What has it been like in the Outside World recently…?"

* * *

"…Though the space missions might be stopped for a while now as we make the switch to the private industries." Tai said as he made a combo against the computer opponent.

"From the tone of your voice, you seem to have some doubts about what they are doing to the space program?" Kaguya asked curiously, grappling the computer opponent that Tai is beating on.

They watched as he managed to finally knock it out of the arena. The victory screen showed up, and they were the winning team out of four.

"I withhold my judgment on it Kaguya-san. The future will tell." Tai shrugged as he chose the same character again.

"That seems like a rather careless attitude Tai-san." Kaguya pointed out, randomizing the stage selection.

"Perhaps. But as I do not know the full details of what is behind the space industry, I feel that I have no right to comment, lest I do it with painful ignorance." Tai responded. He started the grapple-slam-grapple-slam lockdown against the computer opponent as Kaguya juggled the other one out of the arena.

"I suppose that is a fair outlook. Though if you truly feel that you do not know, perhaps you should begin studying?" Kaguya advised. She sighed as she was sent flying by a lucky explosion from the computer.

"Right now?" Tai wondered. He pressed the buttons but missed the timing and just attacked normally with the item, so he was the one sent flying off.

"Well no. We do have a game after all." Kaguya smiled pleasantly. It was more fun to play with others. The Inaba are rather busy and Eirin declined, so Kaguya felt somewhat lonely.

A little brunette with rabbit ears and a pink dress watched from the door.

"Reiseeeeen~ I found the patient~"

* * *

"I had fun today. Would you care to join us for lunch Tai-san?"

"I would hate to impose."

"Do not worry, you will not do so. I do insist." Kaguya pouted at Tai.

Tai shrugged and smiled at her. "Well if you insist."

"Honestly Tai-san, don't just wander around the area. You're still not cleared to move around you know." Reisen felt miffed. She panicked when the life monitor signal flat-lined, only to find that the patient just walked away.

"Sorry, sorry. But I'm still alive, so don't worry, don't worry." Tai easily responded. Reisen unwrapped the bandages around him and began to inspect his body.

"It seemed like the burns have healed well. How is your head?" Reisen asked concernedly.

He gingerly patted his head. He felt no pain.

"I feel 96% now Reisen-san."

"96%? Why not 100%?"

"Well, I am missing the final cure to my aches and pains."

"A-Are you? That's odd, Master doesn't have anything listed on the clipboard…What is it?"

"A kiss from my lovely nurse." Tai said seriously.

Reisen blushed from that.

"T-T-TAI-SAN! PLEASE, NOT IN FRONT OF THE PRINCESS…." She squeaked out.

"Oho? Does that mean you will kiss me when we're not in front of her?" Tai suggested, amused. He didn't know why, but he derived great enjoyment from teasing this girl in front of him. She made it too easy honestly.

Reisen began boiling again.

Kaguya covered her smile as she laughed. It sounded like harmonious crystal bell chimes.

"My my, aren't you quite the flirt. And Reisen, you blush so adorably." Kaguya patted Reisen's head.

"Princess, not you too…" Reisen complained weakly, her ears flapping in delight as her princess patted her.

"It is a reflex. And she makes it too easy." Tai shamelessly admitted.

"Oh? I am hurt then that you do not treat me the same. Am I not as pretty as Reisen? Or is Reisen just special?" Kaguya teased back.

Tai looked at Kaguya. He just stared at her for a while.

Kaguya blinked at him, tilting her head to the side.

"…It feels like you have become so used to flirts and teases that it just won't be as fun." Tai shrugged.

Kaguya pouted at that. "All women still love to hear compliments you know."

"Is that so? Then you are a great gamer Kaguya-san."

Kaguya brightened at that. "Do you think so? It was my first day playing that game."

"Was it now? I couldn't tell since you didn't seem to struggle with the controls."

"I have played other fighting games before, but they required much more complicated controller inputs than that game…"

The two gamers chatted as Reisen watched the two of them.

She sighed in relief and a bit of disappointment. The good news is that they stopped teasing her. The bad is that…Well she enjoyed the head pat. And, a small part of her says, agreed with her princess.

All women do love to hear compliments after all.

Then a wild Tewi appeared!

"Heya all~ Princess, Reisen, Patient, time ta eat~" She sang out.

"Oh hello. I am Tai." Tai introduced himself as they walked towards the dining room.

"Um, I know~ I'm Inaba Tewi, and I'm the leader of the Earth rabbits~" She proudly declared. Then she tugged at his pants legs. He stopped to look at her curiously, and she just winked.

As Reisen walked forward, she stepped on a board that sunk down. Surprised, she tried to get her foot out when flour poured from the ceiling on top of her.

Kaguya kept on walking, rather famished.

"Gahahahaha~ Don't think yer safe from me Reisen~" Tewi skipped off, happy after another prank.

Reisen spluttered, indignant at what Tewi just did. In front, or behind, of the Princess no less!

"Oooooooh, Tewi….!" She growled.

Tai chuckled as he helped her up. "Well, at least we now know that flour doesn't go well with your clothes. And I like your hair as purple."

Reisen shook her head, trying to get the flour off. She sighed. "Sorry Tai-san but I need to change first. The dining room is just ahead and to the right, five doors from now. Please excuse me." Reisen strained to make a smile as her eye twitched.

Tai nodded and absent-mindedly patted out some flour. "Go ahead. I'll make sure to save you some to eat."

Reisen smiled more sincerely and bowed in thanks.

He walked on to the dining room. He opened the door and-

BOOM.

"KAGUUUUUYAAAAAAA!"

"MOOOOOKOOOOOUUUUU!"

The dining room opened to the outside, where cataclysmic rains of bullets exploded in the air.

Tai made careful measure of the distance between the dining room and the danmaku duel. Then he sat down.

Tewi and a few rabbits were cheering on Kaguya. Since it would be rude to start eating without the others, he decided to watch, though a fair distance away from where they were. Stray bullets might go there after all.

He poured himself a cup of tea, and sighed. What a peaceful day.

* * *

Tai enjoyed a pleasant meal of wild vegetables, rice, and fish as Reisen, Tewi, and he watched the fight along the other rabbits. Eirin opted to eat by herself it seems, so she didn't show.

A burnt Kaguya called out a wild volley of spheres and simultaneously fired lasers that hid between the light of the bullets.

An almost white-haired girl with a light-brown shirt and red overalls with a lot of talismans attached to it ate the attack as she summoned a giant fireball, threw it, threw fire lances, then launched herself with a blazing kick.

It was quite the lunchtime show. Tai was rather impressed with this program.

"…Are they at it again?"

Reimu and Marisa flew in, deftly avoiding the stray danmaku.

Reimu sighed in annoyance, wondering when the immortal girls would just stop. Or at least fight where she wasn't near, the noise was getting aggravating.

"Ahahaha~ They're just havin' fun Reimu~ We play danmaku a lot too, an' you don't complain about that~" Marisa laughed, slapping Reimu in the back.

Reimu grumbled as they walked in the dining room. She stopped as she stared at Tai.

Tai waved his hand at them before he returned to the show.

Reimu and Marisa blinked.

"TAI!" They rushed over and started fussing, fretting, and apologizing.

"I'm so sorry ze! I promise not to ever spark ya so don't be mad? Heck, I'll let ya borrow somethin' from me." Marisa went for the bribe.

"I owe you my sincerest apologies. I hurt you despite the fact that you were under my protection, and you didn't even do anything to deserve it! Or, or well, you did, technically, but I should have known better than to just hit someone…" Reimu whispered the last part.

Tai blinked at them.

"Apology accepted. I'm alive, so I'll be fine. Don't worry, don't worry." Tai easily replied as he smiled at them.

Reimu felt put out at how easily he just let it go. She's been going over her apology the entire night.

Marisa was less reserved and sighed in relief.

"…So you don't want to borrow anythin'?"

"Can I borrow a book?"

"Sure! Just give it back soon, 'kay?" Marisa agreed easily. She did promise after all.

"Alright. I'll give it back to you when I die." Tai nodded seriously.

Marisa looked taken aback. Reimu felt her lips quiver, then she snorted as she covered her mouth and started laughing uncontrollably.

"Snrk. Hrk. Bfft. Gahahahahahaha!" Reimu fell on the floor, holding her stomach, just laughing. A mixture of not expecting that at all, being sleep deprived, and her relief that he was okay just sweetened the joke for Reimu.

Marisa smiled ruefully at that response. "Hehehe~ Good one ze~ And it looks like Reimu could finally be a young maiden again, just like me~ Laughter IS the best medicine~" Marisa cheerfully replied.

"Who said I was joking?" Tai replied.

Marisa stared at Tai. Tai stared back, serious.

Marisa felt a sweatdrop form. "Se-Seriously?"

"No, not really." Tai admitted.

Reimu essentially became useless, she was laughing so hard.


	6. Moriya

_**He was tired of running. The whole world was running alongside him. Some were fast. Others were slow. Many faltered and then stopped.**_

_**But they kept moving forward. They kept counting down. Because it was the only way to live. It was inevitably painful, but it was all they have.**_

…_**But…This existence itself wasn't a sin. Many ran with a purpose. They worked hard, fighting others without impeding them, without harming anyone. They may falter or give up. Many cry from the pain, the exhaustion, the frustration, as no matter how hard they ran, as they counted down, they neared death…**_

_**But those rare few who…Who found their destination…They changed. They gained a glow, a wisdom that could change a whole world.**_

_**And they ran back. Shouting their message to all runners. They screamed it out, they never stopped, their lungs burning, the malice of humanity unable to trip them, to stop them, to kill them…**_

_**They ran back, facing back, facing death and not faltering. They counted down, but they no longer feared.**_

_**They became heroes.**_

* * *

Tai swept the shrine grounds. It was another cool day in the autumn, and the leaves have gathered.

The fresh smell of a world untainted by pollution relaxed him. It soothed him in such a way that even the chore he was doing became a pleasure.

The red trees fluttered as the wind blew in, carrying the leaves over the world. They flew colorfully, vivaciously, energetically. They settled on the ground, and the cycle repeated. A flow of inevitability but not insincerity. Of a world that acted so naturally, eternally, softly.

The great forest before him fluttered. The canopy moved like waves. Yes, a red wave of the autumn sea.

They created a symphony of color in the air. They danced, they flew, they animatedly lived the brief life the wind conferred them, and they settled down gently on the floor.

Tai swept them to the side. As much as he loved it, his chore was to clean the grounds.

He wondered how his action was perceived by the will of the world. Did it see his actions as part of its grand plan that was set into motion the instant its conception happened? Or did he defy it, undoing the great pattern that has gently molded the world to how it was that day, millions to billions of years back?

He always felt philosophical in the morning. He guessed that's what came from being a thinking creature.

The sun was peeking out from the horizon. Even with just tiny part of the giant ball's power, it encompassed the world in daylight. It shone on the tori gate, on the beloved red trees, the well-maintained grounds, even the fallen leaves. They left a shadow that enhanced the very nature of the reality he was watching.

His heart felt moved.

He swept some more. Oh, he was done.

He looked over the grounds. He was proud how his small efforts built upon themselves in order to allow such a view from the gate. The grounds were officially clean. Er, clean-er.

He woke up early, his dreams getting in the way of his sleep again. It has honestly become a routine for Tai.

He silently prayed for the wind to stop blowing for a moment as he mused on how to dispose of the leaves.

Did Reimu mention where she composted them…?

The wind blew mischievously.

He watched the swirl of red, the dance of the fallen leaves.

He sighed. He swept some more.

* * *

Reimu woke up when it was one hour before breakfast time. She yawned and stretched as she sat up her futon, Yu-Reimu falling from her face. She rubbed her eyes tiredly and, like a zombie, stumbled towards the kitchen, moaning for tea, leaving behind the snoring and drooling yukkuri.

She kept her eyes closed, knowing the shrine like the back of her hand. She opened the door, and grabbed around for her tea pot.

She missed.

She opened one eye and looked around. She found a teapot, and another cup on her table.

She blinked herself to consciousness, and plonked down before the pot. She poured herself a cup of tea.

She took a sip and sighed. She looked out her veranda, taking in the sight of the autumn. She went through her mental checklist for the day. She needed to make breakfast for two, then sweep the grounds, use the donation to buy some groceries, then clean the shrine, then drink tea and watch over her donator who might do something as stupid as…She doesn't know, maybe befriend the gap youkai? And her donator sweeping the leaves and…

She paused at that. She watched her donator sweep the leaves. He didn't seem to be in any hurry, though from what she has seen so far, he never was. He seemed to act on his own pace the entire time he has been in Gensokyo.

So she was wondering why most of her shrine was already swept.

…Did he wake up early? He did it yesterday, so perhaps he was an early riser.

Reimu was thankful for the help though, and so could check that off her list.

No wait…

"Oi! You're my guest, don't do the chores!" Reimu hurried out.

"Ah, good morning Reimu-san. I've been wondering for a while now, but where do I put these leaves?" Tai inquired.

Reimu's thought processes halted. "Oh, good morning, I have a compost heap over there…"

"Ah, thank you." Tai began sweeping the leaves to the compost heap.

Reimu blinked rapidly for a while. Why did she walk over so fa-

"Wait, no! I mean, I appreciate you doing the chore but, you're my guest, and moreover you were injured yesterday…!" Reimu protested. She felt her pace being tripped all over the place.

"No no, don't worry, don't worry. I have this handled already, so let me finish it." Tai responded pleasantly.

Reimu opened her mouth, then closed it. She didn't really know what to say to that.

Why is she even protesting in the first place…?

Reimu sighed.

"…Hurry back soon. I'll have breakfast ready."

* * *

"Itadakimasu."

Reimu, Yu-Reimu, and Tai ate leisurely. It was a simple meal, but the hungry do not have the luxury to choose.

"So what will you do today Tai?" Reimu asked, curious. If he intended to go wandering away from the shrine, she will have to follow. He might have that weird immunity to youkai abilities, but every youkai in Gensokyo used danmaku.

"I was thinking of going to Human Village and buying some things." Tai shrugged.

"Oh? What kind?"

"Farming tools and such. Perhaps some seeds."

"Oh? So you decided to join the farming community?" Reimu nodded. She felt kind of lonely that her donator would leave soon, but oh well.

Reimu blinked.

"Tai, you do realize that I can open the boundary and allow you to leave Gensokyo, right?"

"Hmm." Tai shrugged again.

Reimu narrowed her eyes at Tai. She doesn't know why, but it's been bothering her just how…Nonchalant Tai has been about a lot of issues. Outsiders have never been as calm as Tai has been about ending up in Gensokyo, and they had to end up dealing with monsters like youkai.

It wasn't confidence about his abilities or even avoidance of the issue as some outsiders have shown. He just…Didn't really care. Like he was a foreigner and his guide just introduced him to some weird custom or food. All that would have rated from him was a hum and a look, then he would move on.

Reimu grumbled to herself.

"…Are you going to explain why you won't go back to the Outside World?"

"I don't want to."

"…Hmm. That's fair I suppose." Reimu muttered. She was kind of annoyed at how blunt a rejection that was.

Tai blinked at Reimu before shaking his head ruefully.

"Ah, you misunderstand. That was my explanation. I don't want to go back."

Reimu blinked. "Oh."

"Yep."

So they continued eating. Reimu was lost in thought.

* * *

After breakfast, they decided to finish sweeping the grounds before going to the village. The wind has died down a bit, belatedly fulfilling Tai's prayer earlier in the morning. He gave his thanks nevertheless, and the wind caressed his face.

Tai was a weird person that thought he can talk to the world. Even he acknowledged that.

Reimu and he talked about a few mundane stuff. She asked him about a few things about the Outside World she never understood, like cars and anime. Tai asked where she even heard those things and she vaguely mentioned another shrine maiden who came from the outside world. They just conversed like that for a while, slowly sweeping the grounds.

Reimu noticed Marisa fly in. She grimaced at what Marisa was riding, but waved anyway.

Tai looked up when Reimu did, and lost his breath.

"Good morning y'all~ What'cha up to ze~?" Marisa cheerfully greeted, jumping off her new ride. She carelessly slammed it to the ground.

Tai flinched.

"Don't mess around too much. We're almost done sweeping." Reimu muttered.

"Ufufufufu~ Reimu, you're so evil, working an injured person to the bone like this~" Marisa teased.

As Reimu protested, Tai focused all his attention on what Marisa just brought in.

It stared back.

"What's up?" It said to him.

Tai blinked at it owlishly. "…Nothing much. How 'bout you?"

"Meh. It's great to feel the outside again. The mistress has been keeping me cooped up in the house lately, so it's been lonely." It admitted.

Tai nodded, sympathetic. "She really should take you out more then."

"I know, right? But apparently I'm too dangerous to just carelessly fly around or something. I don't understand it myself, I would never hurt a fly."

Tai tilted his head to the side. He just stared at it for a while, before shrugging. "My name is Tai by the way. I guess I came from the Outside World like you did."

"I'm Mimi-chan~ And really?! How have things been outside? The mistress is not the same as the old mistress so I haven't been able to keep track. I keep hearing about magic, but I'm a woman of science you know."

Tai held back a snort. Yep, this world is definitely interesting for allowing things like this to happen. He smiled at that.

"Well, I don't know much about your field of science, but you would be happy to know…"

* * *

As Reimu and Tai finished sweeping the grounds and talking to their respective conversation partners, another miko in white and blue flew towards the shrine. She had green hair, a snake and frog hairpiece, and an excited expression on her face.

"Reimu! Oh and Marisa! Have you heard about the new out-" She choked on air.

She just stared at the last thing she ever expected to see in the Hakurei Shrine. And the second last thing, being the outsider, but the first last thing was very important.

Kochiya Sanae stuttered. "R-R-Reimu-mu-san, Ma-Marisa-san step a-away gently, please…"

Reimu and Marisa looked at her, confused. "Yo Sanae. How are you/What's up?"

Sanae ignored them as she tip-toed closer. She watched, aghast as what seemed to be the outsider man she was looking for and an intercontinental ballistic missile talked about rocketry.

"…Reimu-san, are you at all aware that you have a missile in your grounds?" Sanae could not believe the sentence she just spoke.

"You mean Mimi-chan? She's my new ride until I get my broom replaced ze~" Marisa replied as Reimu shrugged.

Sanae boggled at the two.

"And that's how things have been."

"Muu, people of the outside have become meaner huh. I don't know why they want to keep using Mimi-chans to hurt each other. We don't like hurting and getting hurt." The missile complained.

Tai patted the missile sympathetically.

Sanae boggled at those two too.

"…ARE YOU ALL INSANE?! THERE'S A NUKE IN THE HAKUREI SHRINE! WHY AREN'T ANY OF YOU SCARED?!" Sanae screamed at them in shock.

Reimu, Marisa, Tai, and Mimi-chan blinked at Sanae.

"So?"

Sanae face-palmed.

"….There is no common sense in Gensokyo…." Sanae wept pitifully.

* * *

When Sanae calmed down, two more people flew up the shrine.

One was a little blonde girl in white and purple with a yellow hat that had crazy eyes on the top. And when I say crazy eyes, I mean eyes that look crazy, not the bauble.

Another is an older woman with a shimenawa rope around her back and a mirror on her more than generous bust.

They flew down to the tori gate and looked at the scene oddly.

"…Reimu, did you know you have a nuke on your grounds?" Moriya Suwako pointed out.

"Yes." Reimu replied, exasperated.

"…Reimu, do you KNOW what a nuke is?" Yasaka Kanako slowly asked.

"…It is an outsider thing that flies." Reimu answered, uncaring.

The Moriya three sighed at that.

"I'll prepare some tea Reimu." Tai suggested. Reimu nodded distractedly as Tai waved at the three guests, then went back to the shrine.

Sanae blinked. "Who is he again?"

"That's Tai. He's the outsider you were going on about." Reimu sighed, annoyed that she had to explain.

"Mistress, I'm not very comfortable about how they're staring at me…"

"Ufufufufu~ It just means yer popular Mimi-chan~ Don't sweat it~" Marisa laughed as she slapped the missile.

Sanae, Suwako, and Kanako flinched at that.

"Don't do that!" Sanae squealed, hurriedly pulling Marisa away from Mimi-chan.

"…Honestly, everyone besides Tai from the Outside react like that. What did I do…?" Mimi-chan lamented.

Suwako laughed uneasily. "It's not what you did, it's what you can **do**."

"Where on Earth did you even get a nuke Reimu?" Kanako wondered.

"That's Marisa's. She 'borrowed' it from someone else who I forgot." Reimu explained boredly.

Kanako nodded, distracted.

"No." Suwako denied.

"But…"

"No."

"Surely you can see…"

"NO Kanako. N-O."

"Fine. Though I don't see why you would let the nuclear reactor idea and not this…" Kanako huffed.

Suwako glared at Kanako tiredly. "Did you really just compare your nuclear hot springs idea with a nuclear bomb?"

"We'll survive either, so yeah."

"Sanae won't!"

"No, I'm sure Sanae-chan can now. She just needs more training."

"If I see you try to train Sanae using nukes Kanako, I swear to myself…" Suwako swore.

Kanako grinned savagely. "Oho~? You didn't forget who won the last time we fought, did you?"

"I did. And nothing changed from you from back then, so this will be my win." Suwako bared her teeth.

"Oh yeah? Well I'll…"

"If either of you fight in my shrine, I will seal you into a rock and drop you into the lake." Reimu snapped off.

Suwako and Kanako calmed down from that.

"Honestly Suwako-sama, Kanako-sama, stop being so embarrassing…" Sanae complained.

"Wow Reimu, I can't believe you've been hiding these treats from me ze~" Marisa cheered, holding a packet of daifuku.

"Marisa, no! I'm saving that for later!" Reimu hurried off.

Tai set up the tray on the veranda. He poured himself a cup of tea and sighed.

What a beautiful day.

* * *

The entire party was seated on the veranda. Sanae watched, entranced, as Tai poured Mimi-chan a drink and talked to her about the political climate of the outside world and how missiles fit into it.

"….Oh! I'm Kochiya Sanae. I'm a living goddess and I can make miracles!" Sanae proudly declared.

"Hello. I'm Tai, and I came from the Outside World."

"I'm Mimi-chan, and I'm a nuke."

Sanae's eyebrows twitched at that. She laughed uneasily as she scooted back from the missile a bit.

"So you're from the outside? Me too! We moved just a year ago. I'm from Tokyo." Sanae happily said.

"Oh? I'm from the United States." Tai easily revealed.

Sanae looked shocked. "Really? Oh, I, I thought…"

"Yes?" Tai sipped his tea.

Sanae flushed. "Well, I mean, your Japanese is…"

Tai shrugged. "I'm good with languages."

Sanae nodded, still a little embarrassed at her assumptions. "Really? How many do you know…?"

They conversed like that for a few minutes, with Mimi-chan chiming in at times. It took Sanae a while, but even she grew to accept that Mimi-chan meant no harm.

She was still wary though. Mimi-chan might not MEAN harm, but she certainly could cause it. Lots of it.

* * *

"So? What brought the entire Moriya group into my shrine?" Reimu asked, munching on a daifuku.

"Well, we decided that, if the outsider, Tai, needed lodgings, we could give it to him." Kanako suggested.

Reimu raised one eyebrow at that. "How generous of you."

Suwako sighed. "We heard about him being immune to Gensokyo's powers. We wondered what that would do for faith if we can advertise that to the Human Village. Sanae could train the outsider in danmaku if he wants and even if he doesn't, if we can show that we can take care of our human visitors-"

Kanako, a little put out that Suwako just casually revealed all of that, intervened. "Of course we'll take care of him. We are a shrine after all, and we will not be so careless with our guest."

Reimu winced at that. Marisa looked the other way, suddenly intent on admiring Reimu's walls.

Kanako and Suwako blinked at them.

"What?"

Reimu coughed into her hand. "Tai is…'Allergic' to danmaku. He really shouldn't be involved with Spell Card Battles."

Kanako's brows furrowed in thought. "'Allergic to danmaku'? What does that even mean?"

"It means that Tai gets hurt real easy by danmaku. Like really, actually hurt." Marisa explained, still not looking at the two goddesses.

Suwako and her Pyonta hat blinked at that. "But danmaku is non-lethal."

"We know." The two famed incident-solvers chorused.

Kanako and Suwako frowned at each other. "How do you know for certain?"

Marisa coughed. "Oh, well I need a cup of more tea I'll just brew some-"

Reimu walked off. "Way ahead of you. Please explain."

"Wait, dammit Reimu….!" Marisa protested.

Suwako and Kanako raised an eyebrow at Marisa.

"Ehehehe…Well…" Marisa hesitated to explain…

* * *

"And then he said, 'I don't need to rely on my mech, I AM my mech', then he burst out of the robot and turned into an even bigger robot and punched the guy in the face." Tai explained patiently.

Sanae and surprisingly Mimi-chan looked awed, starry-eyed.

"That sounds like an amazing anime!" Sanae gushed.

"That sounds like an awesome robot!" Mimi-chan squealed.

"And the robot was really bigger than the universe?!" Sanae questioned aggressively, invading Tai's personal space. She looked intensely curious.

"Yep. The scene showed him transforming into light. The art got really rough then suddenly they showed the Milky Way which zoomed out to show the galaxy which was part of a universe. Then they showed hundreds of them and the robot was larger than all of them combined." Tai calmly explained to the robot otaku.

Sanae and Mimi-chan squealed in harmony at that. Tai looked on, bemused. Not even he got into the show like that, and he was the one who watched it.

"Oh wow! I really missed a lot of great anime this year." Sanae sadly sighed.

"There is no TV in Gensokyo?"

Sanae shook her head. "No, none at all. We couldn't get the gap youkai to set up the connection and-"

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

The two humans and a nuke blinked and looked behind them.

Suwako and Kanako stared at the two, bewildered.

"…Oh Reimu, the utter shame of it. Not only letting harm come to a guest but being the one to cause it." Suwako shook her head, disappointed. Reimu slumped, and Marisa patted her back, sympathetic. She felt guilty herself.

That's why she let Tai borrow her 'Grimoire of Marisa'. He said he'll make sure that she gets it back when he died. She played along with that and agreed, bemused at her words being used against her.

Though the fact that he remained serious throughout that conversation worried her.

Kanako got an idea. It was just a little more than a bit evil.

She hurriedly stood up and flared her divine marvel. She floated in mid-air, showed off some celestial light, and looked as elegant and powerful as only a goddess can be.

She looked down at Tai and intoned.

"**We are Moriya. Moriya Suwako, Yasaka Kanako, and Kochiya Sanae, three living goddesses of Gensokyo. We have established our territory within the mountains and have tamed the youkai population. Under our divine protection, we can protect you far better than the Hakurei Shrine can."** Kanako proudly declared, focusing all her might in impressing the outsider.

Reimu could not believe the utter gall she was witnessing. Sanae wordlessly watched, unsure. Suwako slapped her face and face-palmed.

"**We shall ensure that no FURTHER harm can befall you. And we will allow thy wish from Gensokyo to be fulfilled and let you carry our divine blessing. And if thou shouldst be threatened by any fool with danmaku, they shall be smited by the wrath of all Moriya!"** Kanako passionately preached.

Reimu's eyes began twitching, flinching at the 'further harm' bit. She shakily took out her gohei, enraged. Marisa was holding back Reimu, unwilling to let her explode and destroy her own shrine.

Reimu gets very…Intense when that happens.

"**And all we ask from thee is thy continued worship! Place your faith in us as we shall place our faith in you, and together we can create miracles!"** Kanako finished, assured that she made her pitch well.

"Thank you but no." Tai politely refused. He poured himself and Mimi-chan more tea, and took a sip.

Everyone blinked. Mimi-chan nodded in thanks and gulped down her tea again.

Sanae just realized that a nuke managed to drink tea on its own and she didn't even see it happen.

* * *

"Eh? Why not?" Kanako protested. "We also have Outside appliances and access to electricity! We have a fridge! And air conditioning!"

"You have air conditioning?" Tai asked Sanae, surprised.

"Huh? Ah, n- I-I mean yeah! Yeah we do!" Sanae backtracked when Kanako glared at her.

"Still, I must decline."

"Wow Reimu. I didn't realize you had this dedicated a worshipper." Suwako whispered.

Reimu was surprised herself.

"Ufufufu~ It's the power of looooooove ze~" Marisa teased, lightly elbowing Reimu. She waved her off irritably, still looking at Tai.

"Honestly Tai…" She hesitated. "I wouldn't blame you if you do go. And despite the fact that their shrine is based in Youkai Mountain, it is protected by tw-three goddesses." She corrected herself when Sanae turned to look at her.

Reimu was not really sure why she would encourage Tai to go. She has a limited amount of dedicated worshippers, and all of them besides Tai merely used her shrine's services to put up youkai extermination jobs. And her duty itself, despite being to the betterment of all humans, has not made her any popular to most humans. Especially when so many youkai drop by to visit.

_A Ying-Yang Orb fell on Tai's head…_

"_..his skull was fractured slightly. Thankfully the bone did not completely crack and pierce his brain or I would need to perform brain surgery…"_

She remembered that she already failed her duty to him once. She tightened her grasp on her cup.

She really had no right to want him to stay.

"Thank you Reimu. But I still decline Yasaka-san." Tai repeated. He sipped his tea.

"….Could I ask why?" Kanako asked, put out.

Tai did nothing for a while. Then he reached into his neck. He took out the only other item he seemed to have brought with him when he ended up in Gensokyo.

A crucifix.

Everyone else blinked at that.

Tai put it back in his kimono and finished his cup of tea.

"Well then, it was great to meet more people, but the daylight is precious and we still need to go to the Human Village." Tai said.

"Ah, yes." Reimu automatically answered.

Tai collected all the dishes and washed them. While he did so, Kanako sighed in the veranda.

"Of course the new outsider is already taken…"

"Kanako-sama, that sounds like you were trying to ask him out…" Sanae pointed out, disturbed.

Suwako shook her head and let out a laugh. "Well, at least we met with the outsider. And it seemed like the rumors were correct."

"What do you mean?" Kanako asked tiredly.

"I've been trying to make him more awed using our divine presence. At the very least it should have made him much more nervous around us. But nada." Suwako explained.

Marisa looked at Suwako weirdly. "'Nada'?"

"It didn't work on him." Sanae explained. So her miracles will not work on the outsider? Then she's essentially just a normal girl to him.

Well, that's fine. It's been a while since she had a normal friend.

And they both watch anime! Sanae smiled at that.

* * *

…_**He couldn't be one. He couldn't. And, and…**_

_**He couldn't. And he still didn't want to die.**_

_**He knew that, as long as he moved, he wouldn't die.**_

_**So the man who gave up but has not yet surrendered, with his fluttering heart, slowed his run to a walk. And everyone left him behind.**_


	7. The Human Village Again

Reimu sweatdropped. Marisa and Mimi-chan began to race each other, with Marisa egging on Genji. Genji protested at the treatment but continued to accelerate, secretly enjoying the chance to show off his one power. Tai just kept straddling Mimi-chan, looking up in the sky.

Reimu felt kind of curious. A large part of her life has involved flying in the sky, so it just came naturally to her daily routine.

So she never received the feeling Tai must have right then.

Tai's eyes, for the very first time since she met him, were shining. He had the biggest smile on his face as he kept his gaze on the wide blue sky. The wind swept his hair back, and his clothes fluttered wildly, looking like they could just pull him off Mimi-chan and keep him afloat.

There was a spark of life there that she has never seen except in Marisa. A joy that overtake their entire form, that drive their bodies mad with energy, that inflame their spirits that it makes them wilder, livelier. For Reimu, she always attributed that kind of expression to Marisa just being Marisa.

Reimu didn't realize that anyone else could be as…Marisa as only Marisa could be.

And just like the first time she saw that unbridled joy in Marisa as she cast her Master Spark…

She felt jealous.

* * *

"_Well Tai, if you are ever in the area, feel free to drop by the Moriya Shrine." Suwako offered._

_Despite the fact that she didn't really think Kanako's latest scheme would work (The faith-hungry goddess took a total of three minutes to come up with one, and the first two just included her hearing that a new outsider with weird powers was sighted.), she was glad that they came anyways. She felt very curious now that she met the outsider that can ignore powers. It would be an interesting side project, and would occupy her for quite a while. And Sanae made a new friend, especially a new outsider friend. Sanae has been feeling lonely and disconnected from her previous life before, so Suwako was happy for her._

_She didn't really know how she felt about Tai being an otaku too. Or she thought he was one at least. Sanae certainly was, and Tai watched the same kind of shows…_

_Suwako sighed. She couldn't understand modern teenagers. What happened to the good old days of adventuring, princess-saving, and treasure-hunting?_

"_And if you ever feel like changing religions, do not be afraid to ask. Ask me. If you ever feel like it. Just come by if the feeling comes." Kanako insisted. Reimu gave Kanako a dirty look._

"_It was fun talking to you Tai-san, Mimi-chan! Take care Reimu, Marisa!" Sanae waved happily._

_As the three were about to fly off, Tai suddenly asked, "Kanako-san?"_

_Kanako turned around quickly, eagerly. "Yes? Do you wish to come back with us? I heard you can't fly, so I don't mind carrying you." Kanako is a shameless opportunist._

"_Why does a god or goddess need faith from others?" Tai asked politely._

_The whole group blinked._

"…_Isn't that what gods are? Made of faith?" Marisa pointed out._

"_Indeed. Gods and goddesses come into being when enough people start to believe in them. Humans will look at natural phenomena and believe that someone controls it and is therefore the cause of it. And when more people believe, the faith aggregates and turns into a divine spirit." Kanako answered, unsure why Tai was asking. Shouldn't he know, doesn't he worship one?_

"_And then the god or goddess become sustained and empowered by the number of believers. That's what shrines were made for, to collect the faith of believers and to attract the attention of potential ones. The shrine becomes a way for the god and goddess to talk from wherever they are to their believers through their priests and priestesses. It's what a miko is for." Reimu added in._

_Tai took that in. "So a god or goddess needs faith to survive?"_

"_Basically, yeah." Reimu easily replied._

_Kanako and Suwako nodded._

"…_Why should it be from others?"_

"_What do you mean Tai-san?" Sanae tilted her head to the side, questioning._

"_Why can't a god or goddess have faith in themselves?" Tai wondered._

_There was a silence._

_Kanako and Suwako looked at each other, stunned._

"…_That doesn't really make any sense Tai. What would be the point of worshippers?" Reimu pointed out, raising an eyebrow._

_Tai mused on that, then shrugged. "Thank you for answering my questions. Take care of yourselves."_

_Tai waved. The Moriya group nodded and flew away. They looked subdued as they took in that question._

"…_Huh. Suddenly I feel like Tai did something bad." Marisa said, looking at Tai oddly._

_Tai blinked at Marisa owlishly._

_Reimu didn't feel her instincts flare up so she ignored that._

"_Let's go to the village then." Reimu commanded._

"_Aye aye~ Come on Tai, guess ye're riding with me da ze~" Marisa cheered._

_Reimu's instincts DID flare up, ever so slightly. "No. Tai will fly alone."_

"…_Um Reimu, Tai can't fly."_

"_He can ride on Genji-ojiisan."_

"_Huuuuuuu~ Did someone call my name…?" Genji yawned, crawling out from under the shrine._

"_Genji-san, it seems that I shall depend on you for today." Tai bowed._

"_Ho~? So someone needs help flying again? Why not. I do miss the days when Reimu-chan needed me to carry her everywhere." Genji nodded._

"_Are ya still up to it old man?" Marisa cheekily asked._

_Genji flared up at that. "Why you whippersnapper, I'm only 400! I'll show you! Tai-san, let us show this young ladies never to underestimate a flying turtle!"_

_Tai bemusedly sat on Genji's back._

"_Wahahaha~! Who says whippersnapper except an old man da ze~!"_

"_She's got you there Genji-ojiichan." Reimu agreed, amused._

"_Hmph. Let's go….Hrm?" Genji stopped._

_Tai blinked as Genji seemed to struggle. "Am I too heavy for you Genji-san?"_

"_No, no, it is not that. I could carry a boulder and I could still fly. But I can't. This is odd." Genji was deeply surprised._

_Marisa scratched her head as Reimu slapped her forehead._

"_Right. Tai somehow ignores powers."_

"_Ignore powers…?" Genji was confused._

_Reimu waved it off. "I guess he will need to ride Mimi-chan instead."_

"_Wait, what? Mimi-chan is my ride!" Marisa protested._

"_What's this about ignoring powers? Reimu-chan, don't ignore me just because you think I'm old!"_

_As the peanut gallery continued, Tai got off Genji and walked over to Mimi-chan._

"_Would you let me fly with you Mimi-chan?"_

"_Sure Tai! I'll be happy to help a friend." Mimi-chan launched herself up, then flew back down and hovered next to Tai. How a rocket can just hover in place despite propulsion will be ignored mercilessly._

_Physics, miffed, tried to assume direct control- WHAM._

_Will be ignored mercilessly._

_Tai straddled Mimi-chan, and Mimi-chan kept flying. The peanut gallery paused to watch them._

"_Then I'll just ride with Tai-"_

"_NO Marisa."_

"_But Mimi-chan is my ride! I have my name on her side, see?!"_

"_I don't know how, but I know that if you ride with Tai again on Mimi-chan, you'll cause an incident!"_

"_Explain to me what is going on you darn kids! Honestly, no respect for your elders…"_

_Tai and Mimi-chan sighed._

* * *

It took a while, but Marisa gave up and rode on Genji. She got into it quickly and started encouraging Genji to do some aerial tricks and go faster and faster. Genji did not disappoint. He may have only one power, but that just means he's learned many tricks with it.

Tai was shaking. He could not stop it. His focus sharpened then fragmented.

That cloud, that blue sky, the sunlight, the birds, Reimu to his right, the sight of Marisa and Genji acting like lunatics…

The green and red sea of Gensokyo's trees. The way the forests ended and mountain's began, the twisting roads the marked the land, the lake that sparkled, he reached out with his hand, feeling like he can grasp it all.

And the flight. The wind. And the sky once more. The endless blue sky.

It was an ocean. It was an ocean in the sky. It opened up above him endless, forever on all sides. Free from all constraints, stretching out to parts unknown.

A freedom that will last for eternity. A world for that freedom.

Is this the world of birds? Is this what the landed creatures miss out on, their sacrifice? For a world to tame, to conquer, for the ability to dominate the Earth, they give up the sky?

Tai felt wild. His smile would not disappear. This was entirely different when he flew with Marisa. That was Marisa's flight, her journey, her freedom.

Mimi-chan gave him control. With her…He can go anywhere.

But…It wasn't complete. When Mimi-chan leaves, he will go back to land.

…What would it feel like to fly under his own power? He wanted to know.

He wanted to know the kind of freedom these extraordinary girls always have.

He wanted that fantasy.

* * *

They arrived at the Human Village without incident, to Reimu's relief. Tai shakily got down from Mimi-chan, patting her in thanks. Marisa was laughing with Genji, her hair frazzled, her hat mysteriously staying on her head.

"Ah, Reimu-san, Marisa-san, Tai-san!" Keine hurried over.

Mimi-chan stood up, and said, "You were shaking the whole time Tai. Were you scared? Are you afraid of heights?"

"…No. Not afraid. Happy." Tai admitted, still smiling widely.

"That's good then~ I thought I was scaring my new friend~" Mimi-chan said happily.

"What's up Keine-sensei? Ain't it a schoolday? Where's yer brats?" Marisa waved.

"Oho? This is Keine? Oi, come closer Keine, my eyes haven't been what they used to be." Genji asked.

"Today is for the youkai. Is that Genji-san? It is! It has been so long!" Keine greeted affectionately.

"I'm going to go ahead Tai. The farming stuff can be bought from that store over there." Reimu waved back, going on her own.

Five young girls blinked at Tai and Mimi-chan.

Rumia pointed at Tai. "Ah. The bento man."

"Oh hello. How have you been?" Tai greeted Rumia.

"What's up?" Mimi-chan said.

"This is the outsider Rumia-chan? He doesn't look all that tough!" Cirno doubtfully said.

"Cirno-chan! Don't be rude." Daiyousei reprimanded.

"Hello. The name is Mystia Lorelei. I have an eel stand that can help with any night-blindness that may occur." Mystia advertised herself proudly.

"Yo. I'm Wriggle!" The girl flourished her cape around her. "Nightbug."

"Hello. I'm Tai from the Outside World. This is Mimi-chan, and she's also from the Outside World."

"Hello incomprehensible unscientific phenomena!" Mimi-chan cheerfully greeted.

"Oi! I'm not an inconrepreme- incombresci- I'm Cirno and I'm the strongest!" Cirno boasted.

"Oho? The strongest fairy Cirno-chan, but you got nothing against youkai. Like myself~" Mystia teased.

"She beats you down in Danmaku Mystia. Repeatedly." Wriggle deadpanned.

"Is that so~?" Rumia put a finger in her mouth in thought.

"Do you really want to make me mad, Wriggle? In the natural order of things, you are BELOW me." Mystia sang lightly, enough not to induce madness. Though it did have enough heat in it to scare a normal human.

"You talk big Mystia, but you're not really very good with Danmaku." Wriggle sneered, but her body got ready for a confrontation.

"I'm Daiyousei, and this is Cirno-chan." Daiyousei introduced herself. She tugged at Cirno who seemed to be entranced with the confrontational mood.

"Mystia, go! Wriggle, go! Whoohoo!" Cirno cheered her friends.

"Guys, the miko is right there you know. And she's really been looking scary at us~" Rumia pointed out nonchalantly. Mystia and Wriggle blinked and looked over where Rumia pointed. Their bodies snapped to attention as Reimu's rage put them in place.

"Honestly…" Reimu shook her head, truly leaving the scene.

"Nice to meet you all. What are you all supposed to be?" Tai asked amusedly. He patted Daiyousei on her head, and she flinched. She looked at him, wide-eyed, then noticed that he seemed to still be doing well.

"Dai-chan and Eye are fairies! We like to play a lot and prank you stupid humans!" Cirno shouted.

"Cirno-chan!" Daiyousei couldn't believe she just insulted a human to their face.

"Oho? You like pranks then?" He patted Cirno-chan's head this time.

"Hey, Eye'm not a child!" Cirno grumbled, though she didn't really drive away the headpat.

Daiyousei looked shock as Tai took back his unfrozen hand.

"If you're hungry mister, my stand can be open in a jiff~" Mystia happily said.

"Really?! We're hungry, let's eat at your place! Your treat!" Wriggle cheered.

"Is that so~? Party at Mystia's stand!" Rumia cheered. She paused, then reached around her backpack. She took out a bento box.

"Thank you for the food, bento onii-chan." Rumia seriously said as she gave it to him. Then she mellowed and seemed to fly towards the stand, her arms eternally up at her sides.

"Wait, Rumia-chan, Cirno-chan, Mystia-chan, Wriggle-chan…Class isn't over..." Daiyousei weakly said, staring transfixed behind them.

The four of the quintet were cheerfully discussing what to eat, or three of them did and Mystia kept protesting against free food. A hand gripped Cirno's head.

"Hey! Who's the stoopid that is grabbing THE STRONGEST'S head!?" Cirno protested.

"And what are you four about to do, hmm?" A menacing voice.

Daiyousei, Tai, and Mimi-chan watched bemusedly as four angry thuds echoed the air.

"Ah Keine-sensei. She learned that trick from me, did you know Marisa-chan?" Genji mused happily.

"Huh? You cave people too?" Marisa looked at Genji strangely.

"How do you think you can get an unmotivated person like Reimu to do anything?" Genji smugly said.

"Whoa! Seriously!? Tell me everything da ze~" Marisa's eyes sparkled. Blackmail on Reimu!

* * *

"Is Keine-sensei a fun sensei, Dai-chan?" Tai asked as they walked leisurely around the village. He looked around the shops curiously, but decided to window shop at a later date.

"Oh, Keine-sensei teaches us a lot. She takes her free time to let us go to school because we asked her. We have fun with school." Daiyousei cheerfully said. She still kept her distance from Tai, though not out of shyness. It must have been a fluke, she thought.

"Oh? So Keine-sensei teaches both humans and youkai?" Tai wondered.

"She does…But we take separate classes." Daiyousei noted.

Tai glanced at Daiyousei, who seemed slightly melancholic.

"We are fairy or youkai but we managed to join the village. But not everybody can completely trust us. Still, we wanted to go to school, and Keine-sensei agreed. We're really thankful to her." Daiyousei cheered up at the end, walking besides him again.

"…Are you not scared?" Mimi-chan asked, subdued. She floated alongside them, though she kept glancing back.

Marisa remained seated on Genji as she, the turtle, and Keine talked about things. Keine had four of the Bakatet on her shoulders, their foreheads smoking. Their eyes swirled.

"Ahahaha…" Daiyousei nervously laughed. "Umm, well, we're pretty energetic, so this happens sometimes…" She poked her fingers, embarrassed about her friends.

"Huhuhuhu~ Well keep it up Dai-chan. At least you were spared." Tai patted Daiyousei's head again.

Daiyousei flinched again, and looked up at Tai, fearful. It quickly faded when she noticed that Tai was looking at her oddly. He seemed…The same.

"Is there something wrong? Do you not like head pats?" Tai wondered. "If you don't, sorry. It's a habit I have with my little sister." Tai apologized.

"Oh, oh no. It's just that…Do you feel okay?" Daiyousei asked shyly.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Tai blinked. Daiyousei didn't how to respond.

Mimi-chan's panel on her side opened up, and a kind of headlight scanned Tai.

"Hmm….According to my scanners, Tai is a-okay." Mimi-chan reported.

Tai blinked at Mimi-chan. "Wow. What else can you do Mimi-chan?"

As Mimi-chan happily told Tai her special features, Daiyousei, the Fairy of the Plague, wondered about the outsider.

* * *

"Well, we have to finish the school day for these five." Keine said.

"So Marisa! Don't trouble Genji-san too much. And Tai! Honestly, don't drift off too much and don't be alone! Youkai are very aggressive and they can and will hurt a vulnerable human." Keine scolded. She waved at the four and beckoned the five back to class.

"See ya bento onii-chan! Let's play again sometime!" Rumia waved goodbye.

"Remember, my eel stand, night-blindness-" Mystia tried to advertise before Cirno jumped on her back.

"Go go Mystia-chan! And watch out Tai guy, because I'm the STRONGEST!" She cheered.

"Hahahaha, the night sparrow youkai became the horse youkai! No, because she talks too big and mean sometimes, is she the donkey (ass) youkai~?" Wriggle easily insulted. She flared her cape at Tai and saluted.

"Um, take care!" Daiyousei waved. Despite her misgivings, she found another person besides Cirno-chan and youkai who can be near her. She would make a new friend, without a doubt!

"Ufufufu~ You became popular fast with the Bakatet." Marisa teased Tai.

"Bakatet?" Tai asked, confused.

"Oh, see, Cirno is the leader of that group right? And she's a baka." Marisa easily insulted. Wow, how mean.

"We used to call them Team 9, because Cirno is a nineball." Marisa failed to explain properly.

"Then they started calling themselves the Bakatet. See, they're a quintet, then 9-intet-"

"-Which would be 'ku'-intet, but replaced the beginning with baka to be Bakatet." Tai nodded. A pun. Oh Japan, such a punny place.

"Yep! So they're the Bakatet now da ze~" Marisa spun around Genji's shell.

"Oi, stop spinning on my shell. That's beginning to tickle….!" Genji complained, squirming in mid-air.

"I don't get it mistress. Why is Cirno-san a nineball? What does being a nineball mean?" Mimi-chan questioned in disbelief.

As Marisa continued to fail to explain the joke, Tai was stopped by a UFG. He was proud not to be the landing spot this time as he looked at a black-haired girl with some really tall shoes and black crow wings land in front of him.

"Ayayayaya! You, Outsider! Finally, there you are!" Shameimaru Aya felt relieved. She was frustrated with herself for only hearing about the Outsider recently. She had to rely on gossip from the aliens' place to know! How embarassing. She should have been at least one of the first people to know about him, but she couldn't hear or see him from such a great distance. She finally realized that she began losing her telescopic vision when she looked at a general direction and followed it to him. At least the other tengu didn't get this scoop yet.

"I'm the pure and honest Traditional Reporter of Fantasy, Shameimaru Aya! And I run Bunbunmaru Newspaper!" Aya proudly introduced herself.

"Hello, I'm Tai." Tai politely introduced himself. He stopped before Aya, and was left behind by Marisa, Genji, and Mimi-chan who were still talking about the Bakatet.

"I'm here for a scoop! I mean, I'm here to interview you for my newspaper!" Aya smirked, her eyes shining with a journalistic fire.

Tai couldn't help but feel weary. And wary.

"I refuse?"

"I shall continue pestering until you refuse to refuse!" Aya will not be stopped. She will get this scoop.

"Haaaah….Alright. Would you walk with me Aya-san?" Tai began to walk, not waiting for a reply.

"Of course! So Tai-san, how did you ever get into Gensokyo?" Aya took out her notepad.

"I don't know." Tai easily answered.

"Huh, what do you mean?" Aya stopped writing, confused.

"I mean what I mean. I don't know. I woke up and I was already in Gensokyo." Tai shrugged.

Aya scratched her head at that.

"Umm, alright. Then where have you been staying Tai-san?" Aya wanted to monopolize access to him for as long as possible.

"I am staying at Hakurei Shrine." Tai replied.

"Oho~? Staying, alone, with Hakurei Reimu?" Aya made a teasing smirk at Tai, elbowing him jokingly. "You move fast. She's a great catch, isn't she~?"

"Yes she is."

Aya stopped. She blinked.

"…D-Do you have a relationship with Hakurei Reimu?!" She excitedly burst.

"Indeed."

"H-How far did you two get...?"

"The Human Village."

"You got as far as the Human Village…!" She stopped. That made no sense.

"Wait, what?"

"That's as far as we have traveled." Tai leisurely repeated.

"….No, no, no! That's not what I meant!" Aya shook her head.

"Hmm? What did you mean?" Tai tilted his head to the side.

Aya opened her mouth, then closed it.

"What relationship do you two have?"

"She is my benefactor. And guardian I suppose."

Aya slumped. So much for that delicious scoop.

"Oh. Then, what do you plan to do in Gensokyo?" Aya wondered.

"Hmm? Right now, I plan to make a small plot to farm. After that, I wish to travel around Gensokyo."

"Really? Where specifically?"

"Hmm? Nowhere specifically. Wherever my feet will take me really."

Aya blinked at Tai.

"Do you know how to fight at all? Or fly?" She pointed out the key holes in that plan.

"Not at all."

Aya looked at the Outsider, checking to see if he was serious. He was.

"…Do you not know how dangerous Gensokyo is?"

"I do." He easily admitted.

"…Do you not see the error here?" Aya furrowed her brows, slightly exasperated with the man.

Tai shrugged. "I guess I'll bring a few friends along if I do."

"Oh? Well, I suppose that would make things easier for you to travel." Aya nodded.

"But what friends? I didn't know you've been here long enough to make friends already?" Aya questioned.

"The friends I have made. And will make." That was all Tai replied.

* * *

Aya flew off to make her article. She mused on what she observed from the outsider.

He seemed hesitant at first to make the interview. Aya got that a lot so she was prepared to wear down his reticence, but it seemed like he caved in fast.

He answered her questions well. He was detailed enough in his questions, and even her embarrassing questions like what he thought of Marisa and Reimu were easily answered.

As she looked at her notepad, something tickled in the back of her head.

He was calm. He made plans to travel around Gensokyo, and he did not seem ignorant of the danger. But even so, he was calm. It was…Weird.

But he emoted still. He laughed at some jokes, teased her when she revealed an opening…

Though she had to give him credit, calling her wings cute got to her slightly.

What did she miss?

She read through her notepad, looking for any error. He answered every one of her questions, acted normally if a bit too calmly…

Oh. Oh.

She looked at the questions she began to note.

'_How was your life in the Outside World?'_

'_Nothing too interesting.'_

'_What was your home like?'_

'_Nothing interesting.'_

'_Any family?'_

'_Yeah.'_

It was normal. But it was curt.

She wondered why he seemed so hesitant, then easily gave answers to her questions in the end.

It seemed the outsider was a little too private.

Well! This was a job for the pure and honest Shameimaru Aya! She'll get him to talk.

She knew where he lived after all.

* * *

"Oi, Tai, where ya been?" Marisa called. She was waving at Tai as she ate a kebab. Genji was eating a vegetable one that was set on the ground, and Mimi-chan seemed to be taken with a can of oil the stall owner had.

"Oh? Is this that outsider?" Fujiwara no Mokou said, disinterestedly.

"Yep! He's funny and he's got a weird power." Marisa cheerfully explained.

"Hello. I'm Tai from the Outside World." Tai introduced himself.

"Hmph. I'm Mokou." She curtly replied, fanning her grill.

"Two kebabs please." Tai gave Mokou some money.

She wordlessly took two out and put it on a plate for him.

"So what's up Tai?" Marisa insisted.

"Oh, a Shameimaru Aya interviewed me." Tai replied, biting into the kebab. Mmm, meat.

"Oh? 'ou ag'ee'? Aya mus' ha'e pes'ered 'ou a lo'." Marisa said while chewing.

Tai shrugged.

"So what'cha up to now?"

"Going to buy some farming tools and seeds."

"Booorrriiing~"

"It's what I came for."

"Alright then, go ahead~ But hurry up ze~" Marisa whined.

Tai raised an eyebrow. "Why should I hurry?"

"So we can get to drinking ze! Silly Tai, what a weird question~" Marisa laughed.

Tai ate the last kebab and threw it into the trash basket. He bowed in thanks towards Mokou and walked towards the farming store.

"…What's up with him?" Mokou asked Marisa, though she sounded bored.

"Hmm? What'cha mean?" Marisa tilted her head to the side.

"…Nothing." Mokou kept fanning her grill. Mimi-chan was about to ask for more, but she preempted, handing the nuke another oil can.

Maybe she was overthinking things.

* * *

"…And that is how you will be able to keep the soil fertile for all sorts of vegetables." A gray-haired man pushed up his glasses with one hand, garbed in a very elaborate blue and gray set of clothes.

"That's good to hear Morichika-san, I will be sure to put forth this idea towards the other farmers." The store keeper said appreciatively, taking the book from the man.

The bell rang from the door, and Tai walked in.

"Hello. I'm Tai and from the Outside World. I wish to purchase some tools adequate for a small garden plot and some seeds." Tai introduced then asked. He figured that people will know, some way or other, so he would just reveal that he was from the Outside to preempt any questions.

"Ah? Oh, of course. Right this way customer-sa-"

"From the outside world you say? Hello, I am Morichika Rinnosuke. I run an antique store called Kourindou." Rinnosuke politely introduced himself. He seemed to think for a moment, before stretching his arm out, his hand limp.

Tai blinked. He grabbed the hand, formed it into a handshake, then shook his hand. "That is how you shake hands Rinnosuke-san. And it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Ah, I see, I see." Rinnosuke laughed a bit. Tai followed the store keeper, and Rinnosuke followed Tai. Tai kept one ear on the store owner, answering his questions periodically as Rinnosuke said,

"I have a proposal for you Tai-san." Tai hummed and gestured for him to go on.

"I have many outside world items in my shop. I have the power to know the name and purpose of an item but I do not know how to use it. If you would be willing, could you come by my shop and identify some items for me? You will be properly reimbursed." Rinnosuke offered. He had to take the opportunity presented. The only other outsiders were from Moriya Shrine, and well…Rinnosuke didn't really want to deal with them. One shrine maiden was enough for him.

"Okay. How about, instead of paying me money, I could take an item for every…Twenty I identify for you?" Tai negotiated, inspecting the farm tools. "I'll take these. What seeds would you suggest? And do you have potatoes…?"

"Hmm…If I could veto your choice, I would agree?" Rinnosuke hedged.

"If you could explain to me clearly why you would veto it, alright." Tai nodded.

"Very well. I accept the terms." Rinnosuke shook Tai's hands again. Rinnosuke gave Tai some directions and waved goodbye at him.

"…You will go to the Forest of Magic boy?" The store keeper said doubtfully.

"If that is where Kourindou is, it seems so." Tai agreed.

"You should beware of the place boy. The forest there is eerie. Some people say that is alive, filled with strange beasties. And you could easily get lost in it." The store keeper warned.

"Alright sir. And are all of these the seeds you have?" Tai looked them over.

"Oh, yes. And I am serious boy! You walk in there and you might be lost forever!" The store keeper insisted. Tai looked at the store keeper in the eye and nodded. He made his purchase and left the store.

The store keeper looked at the door, eyes glazed. He shook his head and blinked. What was he doing…? Oh right, the customer just made a purchase. He looked at the sunlight outside and concluded that it might be time to close shop. He looked at his counter and counted his earnings for the day with a smile.

* * *

Tai took in his purchases. A rake, a hoe, a shovel, a smaller shovel, a pair of scissors…

Tai idly thought that he should have gotten a cart, before remembering that there wasn't any.

"Hey Tai~! Oh, I could help you with that." Mimi-chan moved towards him. He mused on what he should now as a nuke moved closer to him.

"Look at this Tai! Mimi-chan Storage: Go!" A slot opened near the back of the warhead. It was an empty compartment, enough to fit his items. He raised an eyebrow at that feature. He reached a hand in and found it surprisingly cool.

He wondered about the insanity the creator had to make a nuclear warhead with a refrigerated compartment. Then he put his purchases in there.

"Thank you for the help Mimi-chan. Yo Marisa, time to…Go?" Tai looked around and couldn't find Marisa. Or Genji. And it seemed like Mokou closed down for the day as she was not there anymore.

"They said they would fly back when they saw Reimu. They'll wait for us to finish and then we can 'get smashed merrily and joyfully da ze~'." Mimi-chan dutifully reported.

Tai shrugged. He shielded his eyes as he looked at the sun. It was about to set. He moved to sit on Mimi-chan when he felt eyes on him.

He looked behind him and saw Mystia cooking in her stall. She seemed to focus down on her grill, taking the orders of the rest of the Bakatet.

He looked back on Mimi-chan and felt eyes on his back again.

Tai hummed.

"Hmm…Mimi-chan?"

"Yes Tai?"

"Didn't you mention something about a…Shiny, Shiny Mode?"

"Oh, when I reflect light incoming towards me so that I can become invisible?" Mimi-chan cheerfully explained. Tai imagined a world with invisible nukes. He shook his head.

"Yes. Is there a way to…Leave it halfway? Just so you can be reflective instead."

"Oh~? That's an interesting idea. Sure, let me try that. Mumumumu…" Mimi-chan became reflective. He looked at the reflection of the stall. Yep, Mystia was looking at him intently. Her wings seemed to be fluttering wildly as she muttered under her breath.

Tai tilted his head to the side. Then he remembered her advertisement and felt for some eel.

"Want to buy a quick dinner Mimi-chan?"

"Sure~ Can I have more oil?"

"We'll ask for some."

* * *

Tai and Mimi-chan flew back to the Hakurei Shrine. He had some eel stored in Mimi-chan's fridge compartment, and he looked forward to eating some. It looked very tasty.

He only has good memories of barbecued eel. How it just melted in his mouth, how the salty meat complemented the sweet barbecue sauce. With rice, some wild vegetables… He felt his mouth water.

Mimi-chan seemed to love oil. He decided to buy Mystia's excess as a treat for the rather helpful missile. He did wonder why he had so much money on him, then put it out of his mind.

When it runs out, it runs out.

Mimi-chan gently descended into the shrine. For some reason, Reimu and Marisa were setting up something on the grounds. They had some torches out, and there was some sort of seal drawn with chalk.

Marisa waved up at him. "See Reimu~? Mimi-chan is pretty reliable, he was in safe hands~"

"Mimi-chan doesn't HAVE any hands…" Reimu grumbled, though she conceded her point.

"Hmm? What are you two doing?" Tai took out his purchases and gave Mimi-chan her cooled oil. She seemed to prefer her oil like that.

"Oh, the gap youkai had Reimu start practicing some weird shrine maiden stuff, so she's been doing this everyday~" Marisa cheerfully, non-helpfully explained.

"Sigh…I'm practicing summoning gods to my body. I don't know why, but I might as well after all." Reimu shrugged, stretching her arms.

"Still, that can wait after dinner~ Ooh, are those from the youkai's eel stand~? They're pretty good ze~" Marisa bounced over to Tai as he walked in the shrine.

"Hey wait up. I don't want you eating it all up Marisa." Reimu hurried in.

"Oh? Why not let me join in Reimu?" A new voice asked teasingly.

The three humans, a nuke, and a turtle that just woke up at the word 'dinner' perked up and looked at the forming gap.

The smiling form of Yakumo Yukari greeted the five.

"Hmm…Looking at this scene, it seems almost like the beginning of a joke~" Yukari mirthfully joked.

* * *

_#$% The following Team 9 is inspired by potato pot's works. The following Daiyousei is essentially the one by Asatsuki Dou. And the following plot development is attributed to ZUN and Aki Eda's manga, "Silent Sinner In Blue". %$#_


	8. Hakurei Again

_**Free- - - - - - - - - -**_

_**An infinite world with no land. No anchor. No purchase.**_

_**Dangerous. Powerful. All-encompassing.**_

_**The essence of recklessness in this cloud-filled world.**_

_**No chains. No pressures. Absolute free-**_

'_**He was drowning. He drowned and was drowning. He tried to reach past that thin layer, under the surface. Of what? Of water? Of the ocean that reflects that beautiful sky?**_

_**He needed to reach past that. He needed to. It was the only way-'**_

_**Everything I am, will be.**_

_**Being me is all I need to be.**_

_**For my - - -**_

_**All that I am f-**_

'_**If he can only reach- -**_

_**He could have no regrets.'**_

* * *

"Hmm…" Tai wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He looked over his small plot of land and nodded in satisfaction. He felt very weary, despite it being early in the morning. Damn did he feel tired.

He woke up early again. He decided to use his time setting up the vegetable plot. He gained the okay from Reimu after dinner yesterday, so he just needed to lay down the ground work.

Literally.

Everyone in the shrine was still asleep. Everyone included the guests.

He could get into explaining the party, but that would require remembering Suika. And he couldn't remember Suika without at least getting a huge smile of mirth. Any more thoughts on the matter might send him into a fit of giggles.

So he won't get into that story.

Except that it was hilarious.

He never saw so many fruits in one place.

Reimu was very happy for having a store of watermelons. Poor Mimi-chan was recruited to act as a second fridge as she stuffed the others behind the small waterfall in the garden. He touched it himself and found it freezing. Just another sign that winter was coming.

Still, he mused on what the gap youkai wanted…

* * *

_They carefully cleared the mess of what Tai dubbed as the "Suika and Suika Incident." Yakumo Yukari actually helped them out, much to the wild disbelief of Reimu and Marisa. Tai stepped over the passed out form of Suika and removed the rinds around and on her._

_Reimu made tea for everyone and sat before Yukari. Mimi-chan told Tai that she needed to recharge after the day and so Marisa left with her. He waved them off and watched the very amusing sight of a witch riding a missile into the moon._

_It brought up some interesting images and ideas._

_He slowly, surely, leisurely cleaned up the disaster area and helped the drunken Genji to the back garden, saying he felt like soaking before sleeping._

_Yukari watched the outsider closely, observing with a smile that told nothing. She snapped her fan to cover her face and turned her attention to Reimu._

"_Now that we are fed and drunk, how do you feel for a quick battle~?"_

"_No. Let me relax for the day Yukari. I've been moving around all day and I actually do feel sore." Reimu had to help wrestle down Suika after all._

"_Huhuhu~ Fair enough, though you wouldn't have felt as bad if you actually exercised~" Yukari teased._

"_What do you want Yukari?" Reimu sighed, sipping her tea._

"_Hmm~ Just wondering, how does it feel to live in sin with, what was his name, ah Tai~" Yukari suggestively winked at Reimu._

_Reimu frowned at Yukari. "Stop that. He's my guest dammit."_

"_Ah yes. What an interesting guest he must have been, eh Reimu~" Yukari mirthfully said._

_Reimu slowly put her cup down on the table. "I should have figured it was you. Why bring Tai to Gensokyo Yukari? What's the point of the Hakurei Barrier if you just keep gapping in outsiders?" Reimu sighed._

"_Ufufufu~ I'm hurt Reimu~ What makes you think I had anything to do with him coming here~?" Yukari's smile widened behind the fan._

_Reimu glared at Yukari. Yukari stared back, amused._

_Reimu sighed._

"_You know what? Whatever. He wants to stay in Gensokyo, so I guess he would need some housing in the village-"_

"_Why not just let him stay here?" Yukari suggested calmly._

_Reimu said nothing. "…The shrine isn't a hotel Yukari."_

"_No it isn't. But it isn't a one-person apartment either~"_

"_I have others here-"_

"_Yes, Yu-Reimu-chan and Genji-kun. They don't take much space at all Reimu~" Yukari retorted._

"_My expenses-"_

"_Shouldn't matter at all~" Yukari smiled mysteriously._

_Reimu narrowed her eyes at Yukari. "What does that mean?"_

"_It means what it means~"_

_Tai entered the room again. He covered his mouth in a yawn and sat down next to Reimu. He grabbed a cup and poured himself some tea._

"_Hello. We didn't introduce ourselves to each other. I'm Tai." Tai said, sipping the hot tea. He felt it warm his bones. It was getting chilly in the shrine._

"_Hello~ I am Yakumo Yukari~ I am the Border of Phantasm~" Yukari bowed her head in greeting._

"_It is very nice to meet you Yukari-san." Tai smiled at her pleasantly._

"_Oh no, the pleasure is all mine~" Yukari giggled._

_Reimu boggled at this scene._

"…_Tai! Don't trust her, she's the most youkai of all youkai!" Reimu snapped._

"_Is that so~" Yukari and Tai said at the same time._

_And now they were channeling Rumia. Reimu took deep breaths before she attacked anyone._

_Yukari and Tai exchanged pleasant smiles._

"_So how do you like my Gensokyo so far~?" Yukari questioned._

"_Gensokyo is quite the sight. I wish to see more of this Land of Fantasy." Tai nodded._

"_Oh~? Have you tried going into the Hell of Blazing Fires~? If you can stand the heat, nothing beats the masonry in that area~" Yukari suggested._

"_Hmm, that sounds interesting. Perhaps I shall go there next-"_

"_No." Reimu declined. Absolutely._

"_No?" Tai raised an eyebrow._

"_No." Reimu said insistently. She doesn't know why, but she's getting weird images of Tai befriending the Hell Raven and taking her into the surface. Or worse, the oni. That counted as an incident in her mind!_

_Tai turned to Yukari and shrugged. "Apparently no."_

"_It seems so~" Yukari giggled._

_Reimu's eyebrow twitched._

"_So where would you like to stay in Gensokyo Tai-san~? If you want, I could take you in as my shikigami~ It would be interesting to have a human shikigami~" Yukari offered, a teasing smile on her face._

"_No thank you Yukari-san. I was actually hoping to ask Reimu-san to let me continue staying in the Shrine." Tai said, pouring himself a cup of tea._

_Reimu looked at him, surprised._

"_Wait, what?" Reimu asked._

"_Could I remain here in the Shrine?" Tai answered, looking at Reimu._

"_Wait, but, you could stay with Sanae, or the Human Village-"_

"_Indeed. But I want to remain here." Tai interrupted seriously._

_Reimu blinked at him, Yukari watching intently._

"_But…But why?" Why would you stay with a shrine maiden that called you a guest but almost killed you? How can you feel safe with a miko that regularly consorted with youkai? Though, Reimu reminded herself, he does that himself._

"_I owe you my life. So I wish to pay you back." Tai replied, nodding to himself._

_Reimu didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't that. "What?"_

"_You saved my life. Twice. Once when you housed me here in Gensokyo. Another when you brought me to Eirin-sensei. So I owe you two lifetimes." Tai easily answered._

"_But, but that second time, I was the cause!" Reimu protested. What was she doing? Why was she protesting so insistently? He forgave her already, didn't he? He did it easily and took it in stride, annoying Reimu greatly, but he didn't blame her. So why does she want him to?_

"_That's true actually." Tai mused. Reimu nodded, but felt hurt at that admission. Isn't that what she wanted? Isn't that why she needed to do her duty better, why she needed to be punished, because she was the law and no one else would?_

"_Then I still owe you one lifetime." Tai smiled at Reimu. "So I'll be willing to help you around."_

"…" _Reimu had nothing to really say. She tried to say something, anything, but nothing came out. She closed her mouth and just looked into Tai's eyes. Searching for, for something. Anything._

_And Reimu saw Tai. The Tai who smiled at simple sights, who looked so happy flying, and who went at his own pace, annoying everybody around him with an insufferable calm. And she knew, with her own intuition, that he could be as insufferably stubborn._

_She sighed. "You will have to take up some of the chores then."_

"_Yes ma'am." Tai nodded._

"_And you will need to help me pay for the expenses. My….My donations are not enough." It hurt to admit but it was true._

"_No problem." He sipped his tea._

"…_.Then, I suppose we're…" Reimu hesitated._

"_Roommates?" Tai calmly suggested._

_Reimu nodded at that, liking it. "Roommates."_

_Yukari clapped as the two came to an arrangement._

"_Now then, Tai-san, I have a very important question for you~" Yukari lightheartedly said as the two settled down._

"_Oh, what is that?" Tai played along._

"_What do you think of our Hakurei Reimu? She's a lovely girl, despite being lazy, poor, and angry all the time~" Reimu twitched violently. "But she's got a great figure and her three sizes are-"_

"_YUKARI!" She threw her cup at Yukari's face who just retreated into her gap, giggling all the while._

"_I do agree that she's a lovely girl. And she does have a great figure." Tai nodded, sipping his tea, hiding a smirk behind his hands._

_Reimu never wanted to go against her duty more than that day when she glared at Tai, her gohei raised above her head._

'_If it wasn't for the fact that I failed you before…' She darkly muttered._

_Tai laughed as Yukari's head popped back up in front of his._

"_Ah ah Reimu~ You definitely need more discipline if you're like this with just a normal conversation~ How could you ever summon the gods and goddesses the way you are right now~?" Yukari teased._

_Reimu put her hands up in the air and slammed down to her seat, roughly drinking her tea._

_She tried to use that so called discipline to stop the blushing. Damn it, stupid youkai. Stupid humans._

* * *

"You seem hard at work Tai-san~" A voice cheerfully sounded behind him. Tai didn't bother turning around, nodding in agreement. He drank from his cup and fixed his gloves as he went back to work.

"Hmm, a lot of winter vegetables and…Potatoes?" Yukari looked over the seeds Tai had.

"Tai-san, are you at all aware how growing a potato when winter will begin could possibly make it rot early~?" Yukari wondered, tilting her head to the side.

Tai blinked at that. "No actually. I suppose I should have researched that issue...I can always pray that there be a mild winter this year." He replied calmly.

"Indeed. I know of the two goddesses who could help bless your plot for good health and harvest~" Yukari easily replied.

"That would be helpful, thank you."

The two remained quiet, one working hard to prepare the land, another watching, bemused.

"…Hmm, I wonder Tai-san." Yukari lightly said.

"Yes Yukari-san?" Tai replied, focusing on a particularly stubborn piece of dirt.

"How DID you enter Gensokyo?" Yukari lightly asked.

Tai stopped moving.

They said nothing for a while. The cold morning wind blew, biting the cheeks of the Sage of the Borders and the Restrained Wandering Outsider, as the Bunbunmaru Newspaper called him. He stabbed his shovel into the ground and wiped the sweat from his brow. He took off his gloves and rubbed them, before taking a drink. Yukari waited patiently.

"…I do not know." Tai quietly admitted. He looked up at the sky. The untainted, enclosed sky of Gensokyo.

Yukari said nothing. She observed the outsider, and stopped trying to switch the border of Truth and Lies within Tai. It wasn't working. It shocked her that someone could also be so reticent with their own personal boundaries that she cannot change them.

But she quickly saw the weakness there. That powerful ability still belonged only to a human. Just by drawing on the experience of her many centuries, she knew.

And as she has been observing the entire night, that seeming immunity only applied to his body. She changed the boundary of her Hearing Lies to Hearing Truth.

He wasn't lying.

Yukari pondered on that.

"…Gensokyo is always welcome to humans spirited away. As long as you remain peaceful, it does not matter that you came from the outside. Or what you have ever been before." Yukari stated.

"But know this. I have been protecting Gensokyo ever since it was created." Yukari stared at Tai. Tai turned around and stared back.

"And Gensokyo WILL remain peaceful. No matter what." Yukari finished, looking into Tai's eyes. Tai saw into that the focused, powerful motivation that only youkai can have. And a deep pride in herself and whatever she did. He knew that if he ever overstepped the line, she would use that weakness of his mercilessly, with a smile on her face.

Tai smiled at that. "I hope so."

Yukari wondered about that sadness.

* * *

Tai finished creating the plots. Yukari disappeared somewhere, so he was left alone. He focused his thoughts on what to do next. He had worked on his Vegetable Garden Project enough for the day, he supposed, so he should take a soak and relax.

He cleaned up the area and put his tools in the storage. He looked around for some room for them before he realized just how cluttered the storage shed was. He scratched his head, wondering what to do. He guessed he can bring it up with Reimu later and just stashed his tools under the shrine.

He was about to walk into the shrine when he heard giggling behind him. He saw three fairies tip-toeing to where he put his tools. He watched, bemused, as they grabbed a shovel and lifted it up, then tried to fly away.

He grabbed the shovel.

"No stealing from the shrine fairies." Tai told them seriously.

The three fairies screamed at being seen and ran away. He heard shouts about the miko getting mad and going 'pichuun'.

He had to reconsider where to put his tools then. Perhaps he should also buy a lock for the storage shed…?

"Yo Tai! You look hard at work da ze~" Marisa greeted cheerfully. He turned to watch her fly down with Mimi-chan, a basket of mushrooms with her.

"Good morning Tai! It's a beautiful 14.7 degrees Celsius morning!" Mimi-chan cheered, hovering in place.

"Hello Marisa, Mimi-chan. It's good to see you two so energetic already." Tai nodded back, smiling pleasantly.

"What'cha been doin' Tai?" Marisa peered around him curiously.

"Ah, I was just setting up plots for a vegetable garden. It should be ready for actual planting in two days."

"Oh? Then you're finished with it t'day?" Marisa asked.

"Yep. Just need to take a bath. And find a good place for these tools…" Tai pondered.

"Why not just leave it where it is?" Marisa pointed out.

"Because fairies would like to steal it." Tai absent-mindedly replied.

Marisa blinked at that before shaking her head, amused. "Alright then, leave it to me!"

"Leave what to you, my tools?"

"What? No, I mean yes, leave me your tools!"

"I'll need them tomorrow though, you can't borrow them until you die."

"No, I mean just leave the storing to me!"

"I understand, and I'm saying that I need them tomorrow too so I can't just leave it-"

"No, listen to me Tai, I'm saying that you can leave the job of finding storage to me-"

"Marisa, you're repeating yourself, and I appreciate the thought but I need it tomorrow-"

"GUYS!" Mimi-chan shouted. Marisa, a little flustered, and Tai, hiding a smile, turned towards the friendly nuke.

"You can just leave the stuff in me." Mimi-chan offered.

"Y-Yeah! That's what I wanted to suggest, if you didn't keep misunderstanding a poor maiden Tai~" Marisa pouted at Tai.

Tai raised an eyebrow at Marisa. "I'm so sorry for treating my fair maiden badly, here, let me give you a hug-"

"Wait, ew, no! You need to take a bath first!"

"Ah, but a brute such as I has wounded my delicate lady's heart, so let me soothe you-"

"No, no need! No soothing, stay awaaaaaaaay!" Marisa ran, looking disgusted. Tai followed, his sweat and dirt covered form wide open for a hug. He was smiling amusedly, and even Marisa let out a few giggles as she deftly dodged him.

Mimi-chan blinked. "So do you want me to store them or not?" She called out.

* * *

Reimu awoke to some noise on her grounds. Grumbling, gently picking up Yu-Reimu and putting her on her futon, she got up and groggily searched for tea. She missed the pot again, and opened her eyes slightly to find the pot on her table. She poured herself a cup and sat down, sipping and sighing. She let the warmth spread throughout her body before she fully opened her eyes, lazily looking at the grounds.

A thunderous noise.

"?!" Reimu got up and hurried over.

"…And that's the **Love Sign:** _Master Spark_~!" Marisa's eyes sparkled as she explained to an attentive Tai.

"Oi! No danmaku! Tai can't take danmaku, my shrine can't take danmaku!" Reimu roared at them.

"Oh wow, chill Reimu. We're shooting up in the air, yer shrine will be fine. And Tai was the one who asked me ta show off~" Marisa looked surprised, holding her hands up in surrender.

"Good morning Reimu. I actually have a question for you-" Tai began.

"And I have one for you! Tai, danmaku affects you _lethally_, so I don't want you anywhere near it! Seriously, it will be hard enough to protect you from youkai, let alone from your curiosity!" Reimu scolded angrily, wildly gesturing with her gohei.

"But Reimu-"

"No! No buts-"

"Still, let me-"

"No! A normal danmaku battle with the weakest fairy will kill you if you get hit once! So no!" Reimu put her foot down.

Tai sighed, downhearted. Marisa patted his shoulder.

"Aww, that's okay Tai. This just means that we'll have to experiment without Reimu~" She tried to cheer him up.

Reimu's eyebrow twitched. "_What?_"

"Nothing at all da ze~" Marisa whistled, looking away.

"Ugh…" Reimu massaged her temples. She just woke up, what the hell?

"Why do you want to learn danmaku anyways?" Reimu tiredly asked.

"Oh, I don't really." Tai looked surprised at that.

Reimu glared at him weakly. "So why have Marisa show off her spell cards to you?"

"I asked her to show me the different types of Spell Cards. She showed me a Skill Types, Power Types, Bomb Types, Slave Types, and told me about Last Words." Tai explained, regaining his calm.

"I wanted to see the different kinds to see if what I am thinking is possible. But I guess I need to ask you about the Spell Card System to begin with." Tai mused.

Reimu sighed.

* * *

Reimu finished, biting into a rice cracker. Tai and Marisa were seated with Reimu around her table. Mimi-chan flew above the shrine and seemed to be checking if her systems were optimal. Tai was wondering how Marisa maintained Mimi-chan, but Marisa mentioned Rinnosuke and the kappa helping her with that.

"So? What were you trying to do with the Spell Card System?" Reimu asked. She began musing if, since Tai was being, well, Tai, and would probably get into trouble in the future, she should recheck the Spell Card System and try to make it stop being so…Hostile against Tai.

"I wanted to see if my idea for a different kind of Spell Card could be applied. It would be a Movement Type Spell Card, so it would be useless in danmaku, I think, but I still wanted to have it if possible." Tai explained.

"A Movement Type ze? What kind?" Marisa asked, reaching for another rice cracker.

"A flight one." Tai easily answered.

Reimu and Marisa paused with that, rice crackers in their mouths. They ran that through their heads, before looking at each other.

"…Hmm….Certainly, it could be possible….Spell Cards grant the user special abilities, but usually you would want those abilities to be helpful with Danmaku…" Reimu mused.

"Heh, it would be the easiest way for him to learn how to fly too if he could manage that." Marisa pointed out. She flashed Tai a smile. "Unless you want to learn magic with me ze~?" She waggled her eyebrows.

Tai smiled. "I'm sure that learning with you would be…_Entrancing._"

"Ehehehe, I heard that I'm quite the _charming_ teacher~"

"One lesson would be quite the _enchanting _experience~"

"Ugh, you two…" Reimu rolled her eyes.

They gave identical smiles at the exasperated miko.

"Still, would it be possible? To create a Spell Card that grants the user the ability to fly."

"It would be a very limited one. The time duration would be at max five minutes. Then the Spell Card would time out in a duel."

"How 'bout if he doesn't use it for battle?"

"Hmm…Well, we do use our spell cards often outside duels…I guess indefinitely. But not only will it run out once he does enter a duel, but having a spell card on outside duels would just encourage people to duel you. The youkai or fairies would think you're challenging them."

Tai hummed at that. "Is it that obvious that I have a Spell Card on?"

"Oh yeah. Their Spell Cards would vibrate if an active Spell Card is near them. It's a fail-safe I have that prevents ambushes with Spell Cards. They're meant for duels after all, not shameless free-for-alls." Reimu nodded.

"Mokou and the moon princess get into free-for-alls all the time." Marisa pointed out.

"They're a special case. Shut up." Reimu muttered. She really didn't like just excepting them, but it only makes sense to allow the immortals to kill each other if they want.

"So it definitely is possible…I should just use it sparingly." Tai looked through the Grimoire of Marisa.

"It doesn't really say here how you create spell cards." Tai noticed.

"Oh, here." Reimu reached into her sleeves and pulled out a piece of paper. She handed it to Tai who looked it over.

"Oh? So they need to go to you to get a card to make one with?" Tai questioned.

"Well, not really. I have the Spell Card System set all over Gensokyo, so anyone with a talent for magic could just make one on the spot." Reimu nonchalantly answered.

"…Why do that?" Tai raised an eyebrow.

"I don't really want a bunch of youkai just barging in on me to demand I give them a card. That would be incredibly annoying." Reimu huffed. "It's bad enough during incidents, I don't want them interfering with my personal time."

"Basically, Reimu is lazy ze~" Marisa easily translated. Reimu glared at Marisa before biting into another rice cracker.

"Huh. If you made it so that they had to come to you to get a card to make a spell card, you could have charged them money." Tai absent-mindedly commented, looking over the blank card.

Reimu froze.

Marisa stopped moving. She blinked for a few seconds, looked at Reimu's dawning expression, and burst out laughing. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Marisa rolled on the ground, laughing so hard.

Reimu twitched violently for a few seconds before holding still. She cracked her fingers and grit her teeth, her eyes shadowed by her bangs.

"WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

* * *

As Reimu wept over lost opportunities and Marisa kept laughing so hard she turned red, Tai looked over the grimoire, lost in thought.

What would be a good name for a spell card then?

Wait, how would he go about and start making one? He doesn't have experience with magic, so he doesn't know.

Does he just will it? He stared at the blank card and concentrated.

It mocked him by remaining gray.

Tai sighed and closed the grimoire.

He _could_ ask Marisa or Reimu for help…

But he did owe Flandre a visit. They didn't exactly leave on the best of note.

And, Tai mused as he ran through his knowledge of the series, Patchouli _did_ have a huge library…


	9. The Scarlet Devil Mansion Again

"…_.Is this wise, Yukari-sama?"_

_In a simple, yet elegant Japanese home, a blonde woman in white and blue spoke as she served her mistress tea. Nine golden tails swished gently behind her._

"_The man is an anomaly. We do not know his affiliations, his purpose, his motive…"_

"_Oh? Do we not know already?" Yukari mused, taking in the fragrant smell of her tea._

"_Do you already know what he came for?" The nine-tailed shikigami asked, surprised and impressed._

"_Indeed. 'He did not come here specifically, but now that he is here, he wishes to take in the sights.'" Yukari smiled at that._

_The nine-tailed shikigami blinked, looking at her mistress, confused. "Is that not just pure speculation on the tengu's part?" That was exactly what was written on the Bunbunmaru Newspaper._

"_The tengu may be too enthusiastic about their work, but the truth does come out often. Especially when it was so obvious." Yukari took a sip, elegantly taking in the warmth and soothing taste of her drink._

"_Can that truly be all? A human with such a great power, and all he is here for is to act as a tourist?" The nine-tailed shikigami pointed out, quite put out._

"_It is not as if he is the first human with such an interesting power to come into Gensokyo Ran." Yukari indulged her shikigami's stream of questions._

"…_But we shall keep watch? Is that not why you pushed for him to either stay with us or in the Hakurei Shrine?" The shikigami wondered._

"_Indeed. Since I must work with Reimu most closely until we can start, I shall kill two birds with one stone by having him close." Yukari nodded._

"…_I just don't understand Yukari-sama. Why this odd trust in that man?"_

"_Hmm…Perhaps, after watching the two of them…I see some parallels that comfort me." Yukari put her empty cup on the table. The nine-tailed shikigami poured her mistress a new cup wordlessly._

"…_Will you be willing to tell?"_

"_Of course~"_

"…_What parallels comfort you mistress?" The shikigami bit back a sigh._

"_Hmm~ How do I say it~?" Yukari mused, looking into the autumn trees of Mayohiga. The shikigami's shikigami, wearing a green hat and humming a cheerful song, chased after Cirno and Rumia. They began playing danmaku, and their laughter echoed in that village._

"…_They slightly remind me of you and Chen, Ran." Yukari said at last._

_The nine-tailed shikigami said nothing at that._

'_The bonds that hold those two together now…Like the creator and her shikigami…But as a savior and the saved…I suppose this will be a good lesson for Reimu too.' Yukari mused. She drank her tea, sighing in contentment._

"…_How shall we factor him into the Second Lunar War, Yukari-sama?" The shikigami said again, her closed eyes hiding a furiously scheming mind._

"…_Now that you mention it, that odd power of his gives me an interesting idea…" Yukari smiled a smile that hid everything._

* * *

"So does this mean that you will come over every day, Mimi-chan, Marisa?" Tai questioned, flying again on the friendly nuke, Yu-Reimu in his arms. She seemed to alternate between being joyful of flying and freaking out when she looked at the ground. The simplicity of yukkuri at work. They have no middle-ground.

"Hmm~? Nah, I'll probably just lend ya Mimi-chan fer a while." Marisa easily suggested, flying on Genji once more. "Besides, you guys are good friends now, yeah?"

"Indeed mistress~! Besides the mistress, the mistress's best friend, and Tai, everyone else is bothered with Mimi-chan, so Mimi-chan is happy to help her friends~" Mimi-chan admitted cheerfully. Tai patted the missile sympathetically.

"Don't worry Mimi-chan~ People just don't understand you like we do~" Marisa tried to cheer her up.

Tai wondered about that. At the very least, only he really understands Mimi-chan. At least, about what she can really do.

He momentarily thought about telling Marisa just what a nuke was. Then he decided not to bother. That way led to madness. Hilarity, but also madness.

"I am getting hungry, so might as well get the vampire to feed us for lunch." Reimu lazily added.

"That's bad manners Reimu-chan. We shouldn't be imposing on your friends like that." Genji admonished. Reimu waved that off carelessly.

"Hey Tai, Reimu, did you know that recently there's a weird new religion from the outside that involved food?" Marisa randomly brought up.

"Weird new religion?" Reimu questioned.

"Yeah, I've been finding some weird books about a religion that involved pirates and some dish called pasta. I'm not sure, but since Reimu is learning how to call down gods and goddesses, you think she can call down that guy?" Marisa suggested.

"It really depends…How much faith is in this new religion? It could just be a fantasy book." Reimu mused. And a religion about food? It held promise.

"Is this about the Flying Spaghetti Monster?" Tai realized bemusedly.

"Oh yeah, that. You know about it Tai?" Marisa looked over, slowing down to Tai's speed.

"Yeah, I heard about it. It seemed to be some kind of joke at first. We had some trouble with our schools with some weird subject, and someone got angry and decided to make a joke about it to make other people realize how weird the switch was." Tai faintly remembered.

"A joke religion? Really?" Marisa's eyes sparkled.

"See Marisa? It probably isn't real then." Reimu pointed out boredly. She felt slightly disappointed though.

"Well, the joke caught on, and suddenly a lot of people called themselves worshippers. It got really popular, and people have already made some traditions about it. Not bad for seven years of work." Tai offered.

"…" Genji wondered about humanity.

"What's a spaghetti anyways? And why worship a youkai?" Marisa questioned. Reimu seemed to be interested too, if her flying to Tai's speed was any indication.

"And why is it flying? Is it like Mimi-chan? Or Genji-san? Or is it like the mistress or Reimu?" Mimi-chan wondered.

The conversation continued on this trend for a while, and they all caught sight of the Scarlet Devil Mansion just after Reimu started drooling over spaghetti with meat sauce.

"Could we use mushrooms?! I want to use mushrooms!" Marisa excitedly shouted.

"Could we use any sauce? If not tomatoes, maybe soy sauce, or, or something…" Reimu muttered under her breath.

"Muuu…I wonder if I can eat finely rolled up dough with oil…" Mimi-chan muttered.

"Reimu-chan, add tofu and seaweed instead of meat for mine please." Genji asked, already dreaming of the feast.

"Hello guard-san. I'm Tai."

"Ah? Oh, hello, I'm Izayoi Sakuya. It is a pleasure to see the Young Mistress's friend well." Sakuya bowed, dressed in Meiling's clothes.

"Wait, what? What are you doing here Sakuya? What happened to China?" Marisa realized, pointing at Sakuya.

"It's quite rude to point at someone black-white. Then again, I suppose it comes with being a thief." She coolly said, though her lips did quirk up a bit.

"This is a weird switch. What's going on Sakuya?" Reimu questioned, scratching her head, picking up an excited Yu-Reimu. "Yu~ Yu~" Yu-Reimu seemed to emphasize.

"Oh, Meiling wanted to serve as a maid today. She said it was for old times' sake, and Milady approved." Sakuya nodded.

"I suppose we're here to visit, Sakuya-san. May we come in?" Tai said politely.

"…Well, Reimu and her friends do have an open invitation. And you are the Young Mistress's friend Tai-san. And," Sakuya sighed. "Marisa will just go in regardless of what we do."

"Damn right, ufufufu~" Marisa snickered.

"Mistress, I've just noticed, but you've got a bad reputation…" Mimi-chan sadly muttered.

"Go ahead. I am the gate guard today so I must stay to perform my duties." Sakuya bowed with a pleasant smile.

"See Reimu-chan? That is the poise of a dutiful person. You should learn from this child." Genji nagged at Reimu. Reimu looked away, putting Yu-Reimu on her head. "Yu~ Yu~" Yu-Reimu cheerfully bounced.

After thanking the maid turned gate guard, they walked into the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

Sakuya looked at them, before turning back to the lake. She was kind of disappointed not to go with them. No doubt something interesting will happen in the mansion.

Maybe this was why Meiling liked to sleep so much? It was rather peaceful at the gate, especially if you just ignored Marisa.

Sakuya smiled as she lost herself in the past. She wanted to be like Meiling before, and she was told to be an amazing person instead. In the end though, she felt like she always wanted to be Meiling. At least for one day, she was.

She wondered if she should sleep too. Then she shook her head. No, she scolded Meiling before for falling asleep. She can do this! Then she would actually be right for scolding Meiling.

* * *

Tai looked at the fairy maids. They were cheerful and energetic, but they had some poise from them that looked familiar. Ah yes, from Sakuya. They tried to act like elegant maids but…

He saw one fairy humming as she start mopping the floor. She wrung the mop into a bucket, and it turned quite brown from dirt. She continued mopping carelessly, sloppily, stepping on the floor she mopped when she should have been flying. Then another fairy looked at the bucket, and, humming, she placed a towel into it and started wiping the windows.

Tai shook his head. Free labor. You get what you paid for.

"You ever noticed that the halls in this mansion are much longer in the inside?" Marisa wondered, still sitting on Genji. She slowly spun in place, enough that Genji wouldn't complain.

"So many fairies in one place…Miko-chan would have terrorized this mansion…" Genji muttered, looking around.

"Now that you mention it…" Reimu mused. Yu-Reimu was sleeping peacefully in her arms, snoring a snot bubble.

"I have been measuring the place with my computers, and the volume of the inside is much higher than what the building dimensions say it is. But the old mistress told me that if that ever happens it's because of unexplainable, unscientific phenomena, so I should just ignore it~" Mimi-chan explained cheerfully.

"That seems careless…" Tai commented.

"Not really. If I couldn't do that, I would freeze up because of error loops and the ensuing meltdown would have made me explode. And that would be bad." Mimi-chan continued to happily explain.

"Indeed." Tai winced at that.

"I suppose that's how Mimi-chan can deal with this unexplainable phenomena right here." Reimu snarked, waving at Marisa.

"Hehehehe~ I'm one of a kind ze~" Marisa chirped.

"And I am very thankful for that." Patchouli said tiredly.

The group paused as Patchouli floated down to the group. She seemed to be carrying a book about the moon, Tai noticed.

"Remi told me to get you all, so come on." Patchouli requested. She paused upon seeing Tai, and then said to him, "Flandre is in the basement. She said she wanted to see you." Patchouli gave him the directions.

Tai nodded to that. "Could I come by later to borrow a book?"

"…That depends. How long will you borrow it?" Patchouli looked at him suspiciously.

"Until the day I die~" Marisa answered for Tai. "Whatever he borrows, I borrow too!"

"Then no." Patchouli shook her head. Reimu sighed at Marisa.

"Hmm…Then can I come to the library to read there?" Tai took that in stride.

"…Yes. I suppose that is reasonable." Patchouli mused. She nodded and waved for them to come with her.

"…I don't like just leaving you to a youkai." Reimu shook her head, annoyed.

"I can come with Tai if he wants." Mimi-chan offered.

Reimu felt her instincts flare up. She gained premonitions of a crater where the mansion used to be.

Tai shook his head. "It's okay Mimi-chan. You should hang out with Marisa some more. I feel like I've been monopolizing you too much recently."

"Eh~? Well, okay, but I've been speaking with the mistress often at home-"

"And she wants to talk to you more about things. Many things." Reimu hurried out.

"I do?" Marisa asked, confused.

Reimu nodded pointedly, glaring at Marisa.

"Huh. I guess I do ze~" Marisa shrugged, smiling at Mimi-chan. "Come on, we can borrow some books for ya Mimi-chan! Patchy has millions of books, she prob'ly has some of that sciencey books you like so much."

"Really?! Finally, a chance to update my archives!" Mimi-chan enthusiastically agreed.

"I'll be fine Reimu." Tai assured the miko. Reimu looked at him carefully. He really seemed to believe that. She sighed. Still…

"…Here. My Ying-Yang Orb. Don't touch it, you might negate it or something. It'll follow you around on its own. If you need me, just speak to it." Reimu gave Tai the floating orb. It circled around him before settling over his head. Tai nodded.

"Are you all about done?" Patchouli asked, annoyed. They were moving too slow.

"Now now ojou-chan, don't be so hasty now. You got to enjoy things as they come." Genji said wisely.

Patchouli sighed. "I'm a youkai. I am not young. And I do need to be hasty, Remi is an impatient person."

"Yer not old enough that ya can't be taught ojou-chan." Genji nodded.

"…Why is an old turtle youkai preaching to me?" Patchouli muttered.

"Oi, I'm not old! I'm only 400!" Genji flared up.

"...Remi and Flandre are older than you." Patchouli looked up at that, surprised.

"Huh. So the vampire brat is a grandma?" Marisa smirked.

"She must be because Genji is a grandpa." Reimu added, also smirking.

Tai wandered away to the basement, unnoticed by the group. The last thing he heard from the group was Patchouli snickering and Genji spluttering.

* * *

"_Here is your tea Mistress." Hong Meiling, as a maid, offered tea to the Scarlet Devil. She was smiling at her mistress, her eyes closed._

"_Hmm…This sight is quite nostalgic." The blue-nette hummed, taking the tea. She inhaled the scent, and paused._

"_This isn't the usual, is it?"_

"_Oh no. I decided to use some of the flowers in the garden to give it a new fragrance." Meiling off-handedly commented._

_The blue-nette said nothing for a while. She took out a teaspoon and mixed the tea._

"…_It has been many years since you've began to serve me, hasn't it."_

"_Indeed. It was quite a shock to meet someone who wanted to take that name."_

"_Heh. Well, my pride as a vampire wouldn't allow anyone else to call themselves the Scarlet Devil." The blue-nette smirked at her servant._

_Meiling shrugged, still smiling peacefully._

"…_Still, your service as a gate guard has been adequate. You have only let in four intruders in all your years of service." The Scarlet Devil commented, sipping the tea. She made a face at the taste, then scooped up some sugar and mixed it some more._

"_Intruders? Not really Mistress. They are guests, and they should be entertained." Meiling mused._

"…_No one invited them." She furrowed her brows at Meiling._

"_No. But they have certainly made their impression, have they not? At the very least, they have been great neighbors and good influences." Meiling's smile widened._

"_Oi. You…" The blue-nette made to protest._

"_And one of them has become the Young Mistress's friend. That's good, is it not?" Meiling interrupted, continuing her perpetual smile. She was glowing with a simple joy._

_The blue-nette sweatdropped. She sighed, and took a sip. It wasn't as bad as before._

"_Still the same as always…When can I make you submit…" The Scarlet Devil grumbled good-naturedly._

_The two old friends were quiet for a while, lost in their memories._

"…_What do you think of that outsider Meiling?"_

"_I believe he would make a good playmate to the Young Mistress."_

"_Hmph. We will see. Then what about what the gap youkai is proposing-"_

_Bang._

"_The Bold and Timid Human proudly walks in! Yo vamp brat, what's up?" Marisa barged in._

"_Oi, you were invited in! Why did you blow out the door!?" Patchouli protested, hurrying in._

"_Hey, good morning. Got any lunch?" Reimu followed boredly. "Yu~ Yu~" Yu-Reimu woke up at the word lunch, bouncing excitedly in Reimu's arms._

"_Books! References! Archiving, archiving!" Mimi-chan flew in quickly._

"_Sigh...You kids move so energetically, it's so hard to catch up nowadays…" Genji sighed._

_The Scarlet Devil's eye twitched._

"_Good influences are they…?"_

_Meiling laughed._

* * *

Flandre laid on her bed, looking at the ceiling.

She sighed in frustration with herself.

She moved her hand in front of her, and gently wrapped her hand around the 'Eye' of the canopy of her bed. She let go, then wrapped it around the 'Eye' again.

The world was so fragile to that frail-looking hand. She wondered whether or not she should destroy her canopy. Then she closed her eyes and turned to her sides.

She wondered about that human. The human that she couldn't break with her powers. She began to hope, then red-white and black-white seemed to have broken him.

She turned again.

Humans. Objects. Even other youkai. They were so fragile, filled with 'Eyes' that her tiny hands could easily grasp. She held the key to their destruction so easily, so carelessly.

Fear. They fear death. She can give them death. Sometimes, she wanted to. Sometimes, she never meant to. Most of the time, she didn't really care either way.

That human didn't fear her. Because she couldn't break him? But he was already broken.

How pitiful all of creation is. Even if she can't break them, others can. She clenched her fist, her monstrous strength all too clear.

Flandre sat up. She looked at her crayon set. Sakuya bought it for her from Kourindou. She frowned at it. What could she do with such a fragile toy?

Oh wait. She was the one who asked for it, wasn't she?

She lied back down on her bed. Maybe she should just fall asleep? But sleep has gotten boring.

Knock, knock.

Flandre sat up, looking at the basement door, shocked. Who could be knocking on HER door? It wasn't time to eat, and Meiling and Sakuya were working. Her onee-sama already finished scolding her.

She felt some hope for the day rise. Maybe her onee-sama wanted to play?

"Hello Flandre-chan? It's Tai. Can I come in?"

Flandre stopped. The weird human? The weird human wasn't broken?

The weird human that stopped her from playing with her onee-sama. Her eyes flashed red in the dark.

The weird human that promised to let her drink from him. She paused at that, her arm ready to crush her door's 'Eye'.

The weird human…That she called friend?

Her friend. She tasted that label. She decided he was her friend, didn't she? He said it was her choice.

Why did she choose that again? Her head ached, and her eyes flashed red. Finding some semblance of control, she marched towards her door angrily.

She slammed it open.

Tai smiled at her pleasantly, a ball floating around his head. "Good morning Flandre. What's up?"

Her anger, as fragile as it was, evaporated. Isn't a playmate what she wanted? Isn't that what he was?

Flandre floundered. She hesitated, then said, "Come in. I guess."

Tai followed her into her room. Flandre looked around, and for the first time felt self-conscious. Her room was quite messy. The shattered remains of a chess set, a dresser, and a grandfather clock were stacked in the corner of her room. She also stabbed her Laevateinn into the wall, out of anger one full moon night.

Tai chuckled. "You're such a messy girl."

Flandre felt a stab of annoyance at that. It was true, but he shouldn't just admit that out loud.

"You shouldn't admit that out loud!" She childishly echoed her thoughts.

Tai patted her head and looked around. "Well, we can't play in a messy room. Let me help you out."

She forgot to wear her hat. So she nodded dumbly.

The warmth of that hand stayed on her head that whole time. How long was it since someone besides her Onee-sama or Meiling patted her head? Not even Sakuya or Patchouli dared.

* * *

_Yagokoro Eirin frowned. She looked over the room, and found it empty. Just as expected._

_It was very unexpected._

_The room that should be empty was intruded. Her systems, modern, cutting-edge Lunarian detectors, noticed a breach into the mundane, Japanese room._

_Eirin was well aware that Tai opened the doors, probably looking for her or Udongein when he got out of bed. But he never entered the room, so it could not have been him._

_She updated her security and left the room._

_She went back to her laboratory and looked over her notes. She had a copy of the Bunbunmaru Newspaper on her table. It was open to the page that talked about Tai._

_She mused on the title the tengu gave the human. Restrained indeed. She wondered about that, considering how he treated Udongein._

_She took out a small vial filled with blood. She dropped it into a glass chute, and it disappeared into the table. She hummed a bit, taking out that piece of glass she has been studying, and waited._

_The analysis finished. Words floated from the machine behind her and into her piece of glass. She tapped a few parts here and there, and then gave out a sigh._

_Nothing._

_It was the same result over and over again. She felt frustrated, her vaunted expertise with technology unable to aid her in deciphering that weird power. It almost felt like her technology were mocking her as she glared at them. The finest fusion of hard science and soft magic indeed, she huffed._

_She froze. She looked around her lab wildly, realization sinking in before groaning, putting her face into her palm._

_Right. Lunarian technology incorporated magic. She was using Lunarian magi-tech on the man with an immunity to supernatural powers._

_She massaged her forehead. She felt slow._

_She must have been working too hard in helping the Lunar Capital with their messes. She can't believe she made this oversight._

_Eirin sighed and shelved that project for the moment. Her cute apprentices in the Moon needed her assistance after all._

* * *

"...This is boring onii-chan." Flandre drawled.

After taking in some blood from her new 'friend', they settled with playing some board games. They played a game of chess where she destroyed him easily, then Othello where she destroyed him easily, and a game of shogi, where she destroyed him easily.

She would have suspected that he threw those games, but he looked very frustrated after each game.

"You're as good as my sister Flandre-chan." He said as he perused the board.

"You're just bad at this onii-chan. You don't really play much of these strategy games, have you?" Flandre shrugged, though she was pleased with her overwhelming victory.

"No, not really…I mostly played video games in the Outside World…" Tai admitted.

"Bi-deyo? Games?" Flandre tilted her head to the side.

"Yes, it is…Hmm, how to explain…"

"Nah, don't do it onii-chan. I don't want to hear about things I won't get to see." Flandre dismissed.

Tai paused at that, before slowly shaking his head.

"Hmm, if I find some video games in Kourindou, I'll come over to show you." Tai promised.

"Huuuuuuuu…" Flandre shrugged noncommittally.

Flandre stretched her arms up and said, "Let's do something else onii-chan."

"Oh? Alright. Why not do art?" Tai suggested.

Flandre said nothing.

"…Sure." She curtly replied.

Tai brought over the crayons, pencils, and paper, and set them up on Flandre's table. She sat on the opposite side, glaring down the ground.

For a while, they just worked on art for a while. Tai decided to draw Flandre, and was coloring in her multi-colored wings. Flandre slowly reached for the crayons, and picked it up.

It shattered in her palm. Her brow furrowed in anger.

She tried another one, but her hand was shaking in anger. It crumpled to dust in her palm.

Once more. Twice. Thrice. Flandre looked at Tai, who was actually progressing. She felt left behind. She felt frustrated.

She felt mad.

Tai looked up at Flandre, confused.

She stood up and threw down the paper.

"THESE SHITTY CRAYONS! THIS STUPID PAPER!" She kicked up the table. Tai moved his chair back, and it fell back down, split in half. He looked at Flandre's tantrum.

"THAT CRAPPY TABLE! THIS STUPID, STUPID…..AAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!" Flandre screamed, her eyes flaring crimson. She felt huge, powerful, unrestrained, wild. She seemed to take up more space than her small body would allow, and she stomped on the floor, cracking it.

"WHY!? WHY DO THEY BREAK?! I DON'T WANT THEM TO, BUT THEY BREAK! THESE STUPID, SHITTY, CRAPPY WORLD! WHO MADE SUCH A WEAK…" Flandre hysterically screamed.

Countless years under the basement. Unable to control her power, she retreated. She didn't want to break everything, but she did. She wanted to play with others, but they ran away. She was too powerful. Only her onee-sama could stand to be near, and she grew to accept that.

No, not accept. Resigned. Because she had no choice.

She never did! What choice could a world-breaking thing like her make except retreat from the world? What choice could she afford to make, could she be allowed to make?

She felt like crying. It was embarrassing in front of her new friend. She tried to hold it in, she bit her lip and began to bleed, she closed her eyes, scrunched them close. She was strong! Stronger than anyone! Stronger than even her onee-sama!

If she can't handle this much, then what would have been the point of being this strong?!

Tai hugged her close. He rubbed her head, putting his chin on her hair. He said nothing.

She shook in his arms. She tried to push him away, but he didn't budge. Vampiric strength that made people fear her failed to work. She was just a little girl in front of Tai. A little girl that was more fit than Tai, but not the kind of monstrously overpowering kind that could carelessly end lives.

She shuddered in his arms. She felt a few tears slip out, but she persisted.

She gradually grew calmer. She began taking deep breaths, and suddenly her emotions started settling. She used Tai's presence as an anchor.

She stopped raging.

They remained quiet, Tai hugging Flandre, Flandre standing there, her arms on her sides, her wings drooping behind her. She just let her head lie on his chest for a while.

"…This is embarrassing." Flandre deadpanned, muffled.

Tai chuckled softly at that. He removed his arms from Flandre, and she looked up at him. Her red eyes, sparkling from tears she held back, dared him to comment. He only smiled at her pleasantly.

"Don't worry, don't worry. Let me help you with that."

He took out a crayon and grabbed Flandre's hand. She looked at him confused.

He put the crayon on her palm and gently, ever so gently, closed her fist around it. She watched, motionless. He made sure that she had it in her grip, then let go.

The crayon remained in her palm, unbroken.

"At this level of grip, you can hold a crayon. It is possible after all." Tai softly told Flandre.

She looked at the unbroken crayon in her hand. She furiously memorized the grip, then slowly opened her palm. She tried to grip it without help this time, and closed her hand around it.

It broke in two. Flandre shuddered in disappointment. She was about to break down again when Tai patted her head. She looked up at him, confused.

"You didn't crush it this time. No matter how bad it looks, this is one step in the right direction." Tai congratulated Flandre.

She looked at that open and friendly smile. She looked down, and said, "It still broke…"

"We'll just need to practice, won't we?"

Flandre lost all her crayons, but she had fun for the first in a long time.

* * *

_**#$%The familiar backstory references belong to the one you probably recognize. My thanks to Bocochou, Asatsuki Dou, Giselebon, and Yokochou, who have been creating great Touhou doujin for a long time. My thanks to the doujin 'Three Dark Times', from which I shall be drawing inspiration for the First Lunar War.%$#**_


	10. The Second Lunar War Part One

"…_Have you felt them?"_

"_It would be hard not to. Their very presence distorts the world."_

"_I suppose it is within their domain. Still, this troubles me. That group may destabilize the careful balance of power we have painstakingly built."_

"_We must be fair. They have done nothing wrong except settle on the Earth."_

"_Indeed. But the fact that their existence harms the world is troubling in its own right."_

"_That thinking is a dangerous slope. We are gods and goddesses, but even so, we do not have the right to establish judgment based on their birth."_

"_You are too kind dear sister. If we do not act now, their threat shall grow. It is better to err on suspicion than to misplace trust."_

"_What a disgusting sentiment. You reach too easily towards violence when peaceful means are available."_

"_Are you sure you are not biased dear sister? Even now you do not face me-"_

"_Do not dare to cast suspicion on my judgment! You might be one of the eldest, but you can still be in error! And I am not some weak spirit that shall bend to your whims."_

"_And you remain too soft dear sister. You shine the brightest but it blinds you of the darkness."_

"_Enough! We are here to discuss the threat this group presents. If you wish to continue this petty argument, then do so afterwards!"_

"_Petty…!"_

"_How dare…!"_

"_**SILENCE.**__"_

"…"

"…"

"_We rule this pure world of the Moon. Any business the impure may have shall be left alone."_

"_That is incredibly careless. We must remain ever vigilant, or the impure may start invading once more…"_

"_And we shall be. But as long as these impure gods and goddesses remain in their impure world, we shall leave them be. We will honor the immemorial pact."_

"_Very well…"_

"_Your will be done."_

"_Now then, what is this about a rebellion I hear…?"_

"_Recently, someone has been calling on us…"_

* * *

"**wHAT a sTRANGE wORLD wE aRE iN, wHERE tHE mOON hIDES tHE pURE aND tHE hOLY."**

"**hAH! a sELF-pROCLAIMED dISTINCTION. tHEY aRE nO bETTER tHAN tHE tERRAN."**

"**pERHAPS. iT iS sTRANGE tO sEE a wORLD tHAT iS aLIVE aGAIN tOO tHOUGH. wHAT nEW sIGHTS tHERE mUST bE. "**

"**wHAT aRE tHESE sTRANGE cREATURES? yOUKAI? aRE tHEY nOT tHE sAME aS uS? yOU tHINK tHEY tASTE gOOD~?"**

"**iNTERESTING. tHE sIMILIARITIES aRE tHERE. iS tHIS nOT a sUITABLE aNSWER?"**

"**iNDEED. cAN wE nOT uSE tHEM?"**

"**Make a decision already~ I want to play again~ I want to play, I want tO pLAY~!"**

"…**zZZ…Zzz…"**

"**aND oUR Dreamer rEMAINS aSLEEP. lAZY bITCH…"**

"**wHeRE is THE HErAld?"**

* * *

_**A city. Smoking, cloudy, dark. Mist all over the area.**_

_**Abandoned.**_

_**Forgotten.**_

_**Dilapidated buildings and soot-covered streets. But the streetlights are on. Bright. Blindingly bright. Harsh. Burning.**_

_**What a nostalgic place.**_

"_**Hello."**_

_**A voice. Familiar. Faint.**_

_**He closed his eyes. He kept them closed.**_

_**He knew how to deal with this.**_

"_**So here you are."**_

_**He was lying on the bench.**_

_**A shuffle.**_

_**Gently lifting his head, then putting it on a lap.**_

_**HER lap.**_

_**He kept his eyes closed.**_

_**Cold hands. Dead hands.**_

"_**Is this right."**_

_**A cold voice. Empty. Almost incomprehensible. Meaning without words. Words without meaning.**_

"_**Even now."**_

_**Even now.**_

"_**I see."**_

_**Cold hands. Running through his hair. Softly. Gently.**_

_**Disgust. Resignation. Apathy.**_

_**He would rather take the nightmares.**_

* * *

Tai yawned. He swept the grounds of the shrine. The cold air blew in, caressing his red cheeks. He rubbed his tired eyes.

He kept sweeping. He looked over the world. The trees seemed bare today. The red leaves have fallen, and the empty sea of canopies seemed to tug at his heartstrings.

How sad.

From life unto death. From spring unto fall. From death unto void. From fall into winter. And from the darkness into the light.

Nature's vicious, gentle cycle. An equal chance for her cherished children. A season for the fall creatures, the winter creatures, the spring creatures, then the summer creatures.

Nature is fair. Mercilessly fair.

He kept sweeping. Oh, he was done. He put them in the compost, and stretched his back. His body felt sore. It was a horrible night's sleep. It was not in his nature to complain, but he will never take Kochoumugan again, he thought as he grasped his new charm.

He managed to finish planting his seeds. He bought a new lock for the storage house, which now contained several materials for making a greenhouse as instructed by a book he read from the Voile. He found quite a treasure during his brief stint at Kourindou too.

It felt like only yesterday when he worked there. It was in fact the day before yesterday, but he digressed…

* * *

_He had enjoyed the hospitality of the Scarlet Devil Mansion for four days. He spent quite a bit of time with Flandre, just playing with her and teaching her control._

_Tai was pretty sure that Remilia suspected them about the bloomers incident. He really had nothing to do with it. He just did what Flandre asked him after all._

_He did wonder why a vampire mansion contained a store of Holy Water. Flandre mentioned something about spicy seasoning, but still._

_He also spent quite a bit of time in the Voile. It was a magnificent library. Much bigger than he was used to. It extended to what seems to be a mile, and it rose an impressive sixty feet in height. A marvelous repertoire of knowledge. Patchouli Knowledge deserves her name indeed._

"_NYAHAHAHA~ THANKS FOR THE BOOKS PATCHOULI~"_

"**WATER SIGN:**_ Jellyfish Princess!__**" **__Boom._

_Tai took out his umbrella and opened it. Just in time for the sudden spray of water. He made sure to angle the umbrella away from the tomes he was reading, though Koakuma, Patchouli's servant, did assure him that they were essentially indestructible._

_He was reading The Apprentice's Guide to Other Apprentices: Magical Fundamentals by some person's name in a dead tongue. He was reading on how people could draw in mana from the air and od within the body and mixes them together to create prana. He had another book called The Apprentice's Guide to the Apprentice's Guide: Magical Definitions by the same person. He referred to it often when he needed to figure out the meaning of some of the magical technical jargon he was reading. And besides that was The Apprentice's Guide to the Apprentice's Guide to the Apprentice's Guide: Magical Vernacular by the same person once more, who decided to dumb it down so that even his non-magical family members understood what he spoke about._

_Tai had the sneaking suspicion that this person was very rich during his time._

"_Taaaaaaaai~ I'm booooooooorrrrreeed~ Stop being a Patchouli and play with me!" Flandre complained, kicking her feet up as she sat beside him. She reached for a cookie and dipped it into her red tea, biting into it boredly._

"_Just a minute." Tai muttered, writing some notes into a notepad he bought from the village._

"_You said that sixty times already!" Flandre whined._

"_Fifty-eight."_

"_Fine, fifty-eight times already! Wait, you know? You jerk!" Flandre pointed at him accusingly. Tai smiled a bit before sighing, closing all three tomes. Koakuma appeared behind him._

"_Are you done Tai-sama? I'll take them for you then, koa~" Koakuma cheerfully stated._

"…_First off, no –sama. Secondly, thank you Koa-chan. You're a great help." Tai smiled at her. Koakuma blushed prettily and nodded. She took the three books and flew off, her head wings flapping happily._

_Flandre gave Tai a disgruntled look. Then she kicked his shin._

"_Ow." Tai winced, rubbing his shin._

"_Hmph." Flandre looked to the side, crossing her arms._

"_What?" Tai looked at her confusedly._

"_Nothing. Come on, let's plaaaaaaaay~" Flandre tugged at his arms._

"…_This sight is so weird." Reimu declared unhappily. She had one of all five different snacks on her plate and was sipping some hot chocolate. Yu-Reimu had her own plate of pudding that she was voraciously destroying. Mimi-chan was off somewhere, archiving more and more books. She was so excited she literally busted a nut. Tai quickly fixed that with Patchouli's help, though the Unmoving Great Library was confused by the urgency._

"_What's so weird?" Tai and Flandre chorused. They tilted their head to the side and scratched their head, looking at Reimu quizzically._

"_Indeed. This is quite the scene." Remilia elegantly sipped her tea, eyes closed. She didn't really know how to feel about the sight._

_On one hand, Flandre has calmed down a lot and was a lot cheerier. On the other hand, it was all because of an outsider._

_She did not admit to herself that she was jealous. Because she was not._

_Alice Margatroid, the Seven-Colored Puppeteer, currently guest of Patchouli, closed Marisa's grimoire. Marisa gave it to her to read before she started taunting Patchouli by 'borrowing' her books again. Marisa might actually mean to do that, but Alice was also confident that Marisa acted up to get Patchouli moving. It was a Marisa thing to do._

_The grimoire contained all of Marisa's research over the year. It has all of her notes and calculations over evocational magic involving celestial elements, the alchemy she was so fond of that was based on the magic-infused mushrooms of the Forest of Magic…_

_It was…Fantastic. Utterly brilliant in design and organization._

_Alice was very surprised. She thought her boisterous neighbor would be a much messier researcher than she actually was, and she honestly expected a diary more than an academic report._

"_Yahahaha~ That was fun Patchouli~" Marisa giggled, flying down with her new broom. Her hat was slightly smoking on the top, and her right side was wet._

"_You…You…" Patchouli panted, flying down and slumping down a chair. Patchouli was very miffed that her important research over Spell Resistance and other like phenomena was stopped by her invader/guest._

"_This is actually a brilliant work Marisa. I'm surprised. If I don't stay vigilant, you might actually surpass me." Alice complimented Marisa, still quite shocked._

_Patchouli blinked at that. She wordlessly held out her hand, and Alice gave Marisa's grimoire to her absent-mindedly._

"_Ahahaha~ Thanks a lot fer the praise Alice~ It means a lot coming from my shy, hermit neighbor~" Marisa smiled widely, scratching her head. Alice felt her eyebrow twitch. She felt some regret praising the witch in front of her then. She was just so…Marisa._

_Patchouli didn't say anything for a while. As Tai and Flandre left to do havoc elsewhere in the mansion and Remilia and Reimu sniped at each other, she read over the grimoire, sipping the tea Sakuya suddenly provided._

_Patchouli closed the book and her eyes._

"_Well~? What'cha think Patch-"_

"_Do you really not mean to become a Magician, Kirisame Marisa?" Patchouli asked, her eyes still closed. Alice bit into a cookie, watching the two._

"_What'cha mean? Of course I do, I'm the Ordinary Black Witch after all~" Marisa cheerfully stated._

"_You know what I mean Marisa." Patchouli patiently said. Marisa is just so…Marisa sometimes._

_For a while, the three magicians said nothing. Marisa reached for the last cookie and bit into it, looking up into the ceiling._

"_Your work really is superb…" Patchouli eventually said._

"_And, it just would be a shame to lose your knowledge and skills due to old age." Alice added in, looking at Marisa, puzzled._

"_There are just so many advantages to becoming a true Magician. You gain a larger well of power, a longer life-span…You can actually finish in your own lifetime that grand scale project you told me about before." Patchouli finished, still keeping her eyes closed._

"…_Well…"_

_A quiet voice. It was so unfamiliar. For Patchouli and Alice, the two others who spent the most time with Marisa besides Reimu and Morichika Rinnosuke, it was different to the point of jarring. It took them a few seconds before they actually recognized it as Marisa._

"_I guess…That would be fun too…" Marisa gave a quiet smile. She wasn't looking at the two Magicians. She had her face to the right. Looking at where Reimu began swinging her gohei threateningly at a smirking Remilia._

_Patchouli and Alice didn't understand. So they said nothing._

* * *

_A shocking request._

"_N-No." Remilia was shocked._

"_Why not? She said she wanted to go out. She promised to behave too." Tai tilted his head to the side._

"_Can you really guarantee that NOTHING will happen, human?" Remilia snapped off. She glared at Tai darkly, insulted by his daring._

"_Yes. I trust Flandre." Tai simply said. Remilia flinched at that and grit her teeth, inadvertently baring them at him. He calmly watched as Reimu reached for her seals, watching Remilia warily._

"_Do you think I do not?"_

"_Do you think you do?"_

"_YES! I trust my little sister, human!" Remilia clenched her fist. How dare he question her…!_

"_Then you will let her outside." Tai declared confidently._

_Flandre looked from the side, intimidated. She was just venting to her older sister like she often did, demanding that she let her go outside. One thing was different though:_

_Tai._

_He agreed with Flandre. When Remilia said no as she usually did, and before Flandre can throw her tantrum, he intervened. And suddenly they're arguing._

_On one hand, it was her older sister._

_On the other, it was her friend._

_On one hand, her amazing older sister only had her respect._

_On the other, she really did want to go outside the mansion._

_She felt torn, and was delegated to spectator instead._

"_Don't you dare use sophistry to trick me human. I have played that game many tens of times your lifetime." Remilia hissed._

"_It is not mere sophistry. It is simply a fact. Hear my words: I trust Flandre. Flandre wants to go outside. She can go outside. If you are worried about the sun, she will bring a parasol. If you are worried she will get into trouble, she is strong. If you are worried she will go into a rage, she won't." Tai listed._

"_And what do you base this confidence of your on? Your five-day 'friendship'? She has been my little sister for several centuries! I know her better than anyone else on this planet!" Remilia shouted._

"_Then you should know what is only obvious to me, who has been her friend for 'only' five days. She promised she will not cause trouble, and she will not." Tai calmly defended._

_They stared at each other. Remilia's eyes flashed red from her rage, and Tai's eyes remained the ever calm oasis of black._

"…_Flandre." Remilia calmly stated._

"_Y-Yes onee-sama?" Flandre stuttered, unconsciously backing away._

"_Do you promise not to 'kyuu' or 'boom' anything?" Remilia commanded more than questioned._

"_Yes! Yes onee-sama!" Flandre screamed out hopefully. It stabbed through Remilia's wavering heart._

_She closed her eyes and turned away. "Tch. I hold you responsible for what happens, human." Remilia stalked away._

_Flandre spun in place, joy singing in her heart._

"_Oi, are you seriously bringing her out with you?" Reimu asked, disturbed._

"_Yes." Tai looked at her, raising an eyebrow._

_Reimu sighed, massaging her forehead. This man…_

* * *

"_WOO~ Go Mimi-chan~!" Flandre cheered, riding on Tai's shoulders._

_Mimi-chan laughed a bit before accelerating towards Kourindou. Tai was smiling happily at the flight. Reimu bit into a cookie, sitting behind him. She felt lazy and didn't want to fly on her own that day. She left behind Marisa who wanted to 'play' with Patchouli and Alice some more. Yu-Reimu snoozed on in her arms._

"_What exactly are you looking for in Kourindou, Tai?" Reimu shouted out her question._

"_I'm looking for something for Flandre, a refrigerator, and a generator!" He shouted back._

"_Something for me~?" Flandre screamed out joyfully._

"_Yep! It should help with our lessons. And I think it's something you've needed for a long time." He shouted back._

"_Yay~! A gift~" Flandre cheered._

"_A refrigerator?! You mean one of those cold boxes?! What would you need them for?!" Reimu shouted out._

"_I need them to keep my vegetables in good condition! Winter may get too cold for them after all!"_

"_Oi, you don't have any vegetables yet!"_

"_I'm planning ahead!"_

"_Then where are you putting it!? We don't have electricity!"_

"_That's what the generator is for!"_

"_Oh!...What's a generator?!"_

_They continued that loud conversation as Mimi-chan neared Kourindou._

_Flandre floated off Mimi-chan, looking around wildly. She was burning everything she was seeing into her memories. Her body began smoking. Tai put her under her parasol, which she grabbed. Carefully, she remembered. It didn't break, and she smiled brightly at Tai, who smiled his congratulations._

_Reimu opened the door. "Oi, Rinnosuke-san! You up?"_

"_Ah, Reimu. Hello there." Rinnosuke waved from his counter, reading a book. It was empty as always._

_Flandre, Tai, and Mimi-chan entered the store, looking around. She floated around the store, ooh-ing and aah-ing at everything, refraining from touching anything. Mimi-chan began scanning every object._

"_Nope, that thing is broke."_

"_That thing too."_

"_Yep, that thing too."_

"_Oh, that's salvageable."_

"_Mint-condition!"_

"_Nope, this one is broke."_

_Mimi-chan cheerfully reported. Tai smiled in amusement as Rinnosuke got up, intensely interested._

"_Ah, Tai. Welcome to Kourindou. May I ask who and what is she?" Rinnosuke inspected Mimi-chan who kept firing reports on the merchandise._

"_Hi! I'm Mimi-chan, and I'm a nuke." Mimi-chan cheerfully introduced herself._

"_A nuke…? I have not heard of those…" Rinnosuke mused, reaching for Mimi-chan._

_Tai reached for the bottom of a pile, making it fall towards Flandre who 'eep'-ed and flew back. Flandre glared at Tai who winced and apologized._

"_Please! Do not hurt my merchandise!" Rinnosuke hurried towards them._

_Reimu felt like she luckily avoided something troublesome._

* * *

_Tai spent two hours explaining the functions of many of the merchandise alongside Mimi-chan. Flandre got bored and decided to explore the area around the shop, prompting Reimu to follow her, exasperated._

"…_And that is what a Game Boy is."_

"_Oh, I see! It is an entertainment tool using interactive pixelated artwork. Pixels, being several dots that create an image when seen far away. So it seems like a mind control device only in as far as it 'controls' the pixelated characters within the game. What an amusing invention the outside made…" Rinnosuke enthusiastically muttered._

"_Indeed. The allure of it is surprisingly large. Many people could waste entire weeks on a game like this." Tai nodded._

"_Yep~ Mimi-chan plays games on her own time when she waits for the mistress to come back home~" Mimi-chan cheerfully said._

"_Oh? What games do you have?" Tai looked at Mimi-chan, confused._

"_Oh, just those bullet hell games the old mistress was so fond of." Mimi-chan shrugged._

"_Hmm, well, that would be the eightieth item! According to our deal, I owe you four items then. What will they be Tai-san?" Rinnosuke politely reminded._

_Tai walked over to a pedal-powered generator, a broken but fixable refrigerator, and a stress ball. "Well, I would definitely like these three. Would you know anybody who can help fix the machines up?"_

"_Oh yes. The kappa and I could do that for you. But we would have to charge you-" Rinnosuke was about to warn._

"_Done. Here." Tai reached into his kimono and pulled out his wallet. He pulled out a large wad of bills and dumped then on Rinnosuke's counter._

_Rinnosuke said nothing. He just stared at the bills._

"_If possible, I want the refrigerator to be powered by this generator. I'm not sure when you can have them ready but-"_

"_I will get them ready tomorrow." Rinnosuke said oddly._

_Tai and Mimi-chan blinked at Rinnosuke, who suddenly had flaming bright eyes._

"_I will make them better too! Faster, stronger! I have the craftsmanship!" He proudly declared._

"…_Ah, yes. Thank you." Tai shook his head._

"_Uwaa, how energetic~" Mimi-chan giggled._

"_Ah, but I owe you a fourth one. Which one do you want, or will you just hold off-"_

_Another mini-avalanche. The three turned around to see Yu-Reimu pitifully calling out for help. It seemed she was buried by…_

_Tai blinked. He lifted the book off Yu-Reimu, who remained flattened. She weakly 'Yu'-ed out her thanks as Tai stared at the object on top of the book._

_What on Earth is it doing here?_

"_Ah, that was a curious trinket I found during my earlier travels. I'm not entirely certain what the shape of it means, but it apparently has the purpose of protection, so I believe it to be a lucky charm of sorts-"_

"_I'll take this." Tai faintly said._

"_What? Are you cer-"_

"_Yes!" Rinnosuke and Mimi-chan blinked at that instance of excitement. Tai shook his head and coughed._

"_Yes, I definitely want this."_

"_O-Oh, very well. Go ahead." Tai nodded at Rinnosuke in thanks and put it on._

_Tai felt a huge weight suddenly lift off his shoulders. He blinked, before smiling brightly._

_It was real! It was the real deal!_

* * *

Afterwards, they went home. Flandre enjoyed her time outside, no matter how brief. Tai promised her that he will take her with him when he finally journeyed all over Gensokyo, and she excitedly agreed. He gave her the stress ball and told her to squeeze it whenever she felt like squeezing an eye. It was reinforced by Reimu's seals, which she applied after a trip to the eel stand. The mistress of the house, Remilia, seemed to disappear, and Sakuya said she didn't know where she was. After picking up Marisa and waving his farewells at Sakuya and Meiling, the group went home.

Tai had someone make stronger chains for his new trinket, and now he had taken to wearing it every day. Reimu shrugged and thought it was some odd Outsider thing and didn't question further.

All in all, he had a good day the day before yesterday. Yesterday was even better.

* * *

"_Kappa-pa~ Here it is~! Nitorified, Version 2.3! The Awesome, Shiny Fridge of the North!" Kawashiro Nitori happily declared to the seated Reimu, who was blankly looking on from the veranda._

"…_What."_

"_It has 300% more efficient cooling capabilities, is 122% more fuel efficient, and it can talk back to you when you feel lonely! And it's shiny!" Indeed it was. It shone like mirror it was so shiny. Considering it was high noon, Reimu squinted with her eyes to look at the fridge._

"…_That's good?" Reimu tried._

"_It gets even better! Using kappa certified technologies, a little bit of luck, the Kourindou shop keeper, and some blessings from the mountain goddesses, we have made this fridge capable of defending against any ill-intentioned intruders, and can transform into something Sanae-chan called a 'robot'!" Nitori happily pressed a button, and the fridge transformed into a fridge with arms, legs, and a rectangular line that opened on the freezer that beeped red periodically._

"…" _Reimu sipped her tea, bored._

"…_C'mon Reimu-chan, give me something to work with here." Nitori whined._

"_Oh? I mean, that's great. Really. So amazing." Reimu deadpanned._

_Nitori pouted at Reimu._

"_What's going on?" Tai called out, turning from the side of the shrine, wiping his dirty hands with a towel. He wiped his forehead and took a drink from his water bottle._

_Nitori hid behind the refrigerator._

"_Oh, your 'robot' fridge came by." Reimu sipped her tea again._

"_Oh, that's gre- 'Robot'?"_

"…_U-Um….Who is this Reimu-chan….?" Nitori shyly peeked out from behind._

_Tai blinked at the small kappa girl. "Yo."_

"_Meep!" She hid again, blushing shyly._

"…_Oh right. Nitori is shy around new humans." Reimu realized slowly._

"_Is that so? Don't worry, don't worry Nitori-san, I don't bite." Tai smiled._

_Nitori peeked around the fridge. She saw Tai's smile and giggled embarrassedly, scratching her head as she moved back to the front._

"_O-Oh…Sorry for showing you a weird side of me Tai-san. I'm Kawashiro Nitori, and I'm a kappa, kappa-pa~ Kappa and humans of Gensokyo have been friends for a long time, so I hope you'll be my friend?" Nitori asked hopefully._

"_Of course. It is always good to have and make friends." Tai nodded, smiling._

_Nitori began repeating the features of the refrigerator, with Tai nodding and awing at the right moments._

_Nitori waved her farewells at them, and flew off cheerfully. Rinnosuke came up the shrine soon after, just after Nitori disappeared into the distance._

"_Hello Tai-san! And Reimu, hello." Reimu twitched at that. She was the afterthought, was she? It was her shrine, she grumbled in her thoughts._

"_I have your generator right here Tai-san! I must say, for one day's work, it turned out magnificently."_

"…_I'll say." Tai managed._

_The pedal-powered generator was actually floating. The bottom was replaced with an octagonal sort of device which let out a blue energy into the bottom, keeping the generator floating. The pedals, if they can still be called that, became a foot rest, and well, the seat was converted into a chair._

"_I managed to combine the energy collecting matrix of the mini-hakkero into converting arcane energies into electrical energy, and I have taken the liberty to apply every sort of outlet you described into the generator. I have plugs stored here," Rinnosuke opened up the side of the chair, showing off coils of cords, "and this blue one here is the one that will connect the refrigerator into the generator. What do you think Tai-san? Every bit your money's worth."_

_Tai stared at this man in awe. The man made a self-powering generator for 20, 000 Yen. Holy shit._

"…_Thank you very much Rinnosuke-san. You are truly a credit to your craft." Tai honestly praised._

"_Thank you for your praise Tai-san. I feel that I must do my best for my paying customers after all." Rinnosuke chuckled. Reimu twitched at that. What did that mean?_

_Rinnosuke chatted with Tai and Reimu for a bit before waving his farewells, flying off._

"…_You make friends with youkai so easily, Tai." Reimu commented, biting into a rice cracker, seated by her table. She looked at Tai, leaning into her knuckle, her arm on her leg. Tai commanded the fridge robot to bring in the generator, and had connected them. He opened the fridge and found it cool already, further amazing him._

"_I suppose. The youkai are just naturally friendly though, and it's easy to be friends with people who want to be friends." Tai shrugged._

"_I suppose. You just…Never really freak out about them. Most Outsiders do. Heck, most humans from the Human Village still do." Reimu explained._

"_Hmm…" Tai whispered something then went into the shrine to take a bath._

_Reimu said nothing. Yu-Reimu bounced towards her, and she smiled, opening her lap and letting it bounce into position._

"_I wonder Yu-Reimu-chan…Did you hear what Tai said?"_

"_Yu~ Yu~" Yu-Reimu cheerfully cried out._

"_Thank you dear." She patted her yukkuri._

'…_I've lived with worse…' _

_Reimu mused on that a bit. Then Yukari gapped in and attacked. Reimu sighed, calling in the gods and goddesses again._

* * *

"Oh, Tai-san? You are up early." Sakuya said, surprised.

"…I must say the same to you Sakuya-san." Tai raised an eyebrow at the Perfectly Elegant Maid as she landed.

"Oh, I was flying by and checked to see if Reimu was already up." Sakuya explained.

"Reimu does not usually awaken until a few hours from now Sakuya-san." Tai shrugged.

"Really? Why not wake her up to help you sweep the grounds?" Though, Sakuya mused, looking around, it looked like he didn't need any.

"I wake up too early. Even I can admit that. So I decided to spend the time making myself useful before Reimu awoke." Tai shrugged again.

"Oh? If only I had help like that in the mansion…" Sakuya sighed.

"So what brings you out of the mansion so early Sakuya-san?"

"…Well, I suppose I am here to speak with you too." Sakuya shifted around.

Tai leaned on his broom, looking at Sakuya. He gestured at her to go on.

"Please do not think badly of Milady. She just feels conflicted over the Young Mistress. She had been trying for centuries what you managed in barely a week." Sakuya explained. She knew that, despite the fact that Remilia could survive Flandre, it would have hurt Flandre a lot more to see her break her own sister repeatedly. That was what probably occurred long ago, Sakuya speculated. Probably why Remilia refrained and floundered for so long.

"Don't worry, don't worry." Tai shook his head. "I am only happy to help the friend I made in your mansion."

"Even still…" Sakuya tried.

"…It's not something Remilia-san should worry about. In the race for Flandre's affections, big sister has been and always will be first after all." Tai smiled at Sakuya.

Sakuya blinked before smiling back at Tai. She bowed before turning around, about to fly off.

"…You wouldn't happen to know about rockets, would you?"

Tai blinked before calling over Mimi-chan.

* * *

A shooting star fell down that night. It flew into the Bamboo Forest of the Lost.

Afterwards, a lone youkai rabbit stumbled around before falling into a hole. Her eyes swirled as she fell unconscious. The next day, Tewi brought her into Eientei. A fluttering kimono of ethereal beauty drifted on a bamboo shoot, before disappearing into the dark.

* * *

"**She shifted in her sleep."**

"**Congratulations to her. Should I make her a medal?"**

"**This new forms feel…Odd. And limited."**

"**I suppose it comes with the territory. Wish I could negotiate though."**

"**I'm bored, entertain me~ Let's dance under the moonlight~"**

"**Alright, alright, calm down Milady. We should eat first after all~"**

"**Zzz…Zzz…"**

* * *

_**#$%Once more, I thank Touhou doujin writers like Giselebon and the man himself, ZUN, alongside artist Aki Eda for creating this Land of Fantasy.%$#**_


	11. The Second Lunar War Part Two

"…Nothing has happened." Reimu suddenly said. She stopped sweeping the shrine and looked at the sky, annoyed.

"Huh? What'cha mean? There was the Mountain Goddesses tryin' ta take over yer shrine, there was Yukari buggin' ya ta train, then Tai appeared and he's been funny, then there was the Gundam Incident..." Marisa listed with her fingers, an impish grin on her lips.

* * *

"_Onii-chan? I blame you for this."_

"_You can't just push the whole responsibility on me Flandre-chan."_

"_It was your robot!"_

"_It was your idea."_

"_Great, blame the little girl. How manly of you onii-chan~"_

"_That's unfair Flandre-chan. You can't use gender stereotypes as a reason to blame me-"_

"_You two. Shut up, seriously."_

_Tai and Flandre became quiet as a fuming Reimu facepalmed. They were kneeling in seiza as a destroyed forest burned to a cinder behind them. Tai's chair-generator floated next to a flexing fridge robot. Mimi-chan kept hovering in place, utterly in awe of the Onbashira Robot as Sanae was similarly scolded by Suwako._

"_Honestly, I should take back that fridge to the kappa considering the mess you two managed to get into-"_

"_No, wait, red-white, blame that green-white she challenged me, I mean us-"_

"_Flandre, shut up! I should tell your older sister how you just took over the fridge and started firing-"_

"_Nooooo! You oni! Oni miko, the demon miko!" Flandre threw a tantrum. Her eyes flashed red, but she took out her stress ball and squeezed it as she bared her teeth at Reimu. Tai pat Flandre's head, and she seemed to calm down some._

"_I take responsibility for what happened Reimu. So no need to tell Remilia-san about the Gundam Incident." Tai sighed, his hair blown back and his clothes covered in soot._

"_And you! Why on Earth did you decide to bring the fridge with you anyways?! You know how crazy Sanae gets with these weird outside things!" Reimu scolded._

"…_I just wanted to share some of the excess melons Suika has been bringing in. We actually have too much of them now Reimu." Tai explained._

"_And I decided to help my friend by eating some on the way! And I got to see this Youkai Mountain I hear so much about from Meiling!" Flandre piped up, not mad anymore._

"_Then the green-white decided that since we got a robot she can borrow a robot and then we can play-fight! And I liked the game, and I asked Tai for permission first and he agreed~" Flandre happily added._

_Reimu rounded over the whistling Tai who looked away._

"…_And that is why you don't use divine blessings to get into robot fights, Sanae." Suwako sighed, rubbing her forehead. Pyonta shook its head at Sanae as the girl slumped, ashamed._

"_I'm sorry Suwako-sama. I just saw the robot and I felt like I won't get another chance to see a Gundam fight another Gundam. You know how the fridge actually got a similar model of the-" Sanae brightened at the end, getting into too-much-details-mode._

"_Stop right there Sanae. At any rate, you're grounded for the rest of the weekend." Suwako commanded._

_Suwako sighed as she and Sanae finished their farewells with the Hakurei group, with Reimu pulling Tai's ear as Flandre laughed. Honestly, the kappa needed to stop feeding Sanae's obsession. At least she managed to control the battle, and she told Tai not to bring the refrigerator again to the Moriya Shrine._

_Suwako mused on that thought. It may just be the first time anyone actually thought that._

_She was surprised and genuinely impressed by the friendship between the vampire and that human, Tai. An actual human-youkai companionship from other than the shrine maidens. It was a proof of concept that humans and youkai could actually peacefully live together if they try. Though, Suwako thought, it was facilitated by Tai being able to actually treat the vampire as a normal person._

_Suwako's research showed her that Tai's powers seemed to extend so much further than just being immune to youkai abilities. Suwako's working title is 'Manipulation of Normality', which she decided on when she noticed that Flandre did not hesitate to energetically hit Tai in annoyance. She was shocked and worried when she noticed that she did not hold back, and was further surprised when Tai seemed just fine, if a bit in pain._

_Tai agreed to some testing and Suwako tried using her inherent divine strength to lift the man. She struggled for the first time in her long life, and she observed that, though she managed to lift him up, her struggling body did not feel sore._

_It was a subtle feeling. It was not a cancellation of her divinity. It was more like a…Willful ignorance. He just…Treated her like she was normal._

_It was an interesting power. The inherent physical and magical superiority of youkai and celestial beings were ineffective against Tai, though they retained their mental faculties._

_But the power was one-sided. She had to convince an intensely reluctant Tai for a while, but she got him to punch her at his hardest. She didn't feel it, which was usually what happened when most things tried to physically attack a goddess. Her inherent divine constitution wasn't taken away by Tai. She theorized then that Tai ignored attacks against him while paradoxically acknowledging that the attacker was superior to him._

_Was it a genetic quirk? A magical mutation? A new psionic gift?_

"_Yo, Suwako, want a drink with…Huh? Sanae-chan, why is my Onbashira Robot broken…?"_

"_Ah, ahahaha, umm, Kanako-sama…"_

_Suwako entered the shrine, deep in thought, ignoring Kanako scolding a wilting Sanae. Tai treated people like they were normal, so he ignored abnormalities used directly against him. But he cannot use that ignorance offensively. So he manipulates normality pacifistically? Or is it a naturally pacifistic ability?_

_It seemed like all it allowed him was the unique ability to befriend people inherently superior to him without being intimidated by their strength. A diplomatic-based power?_

"…_I suppose that's why he lives at his own pace, as Reimu mentioned before…" Suwako muttered, sipping the sake Kanako poured for her._

"_Suwako, could you explain to me why the western forest of the mountain is burning?"_

* * *

"We will NOT talk about the Gundam Incident. Seriously, what's a Gundam anyways?" Reimu shouted, exasperated.

"Hehehehe~ Tai and Flandre get around a lot~ Especially with that new fridge of yours~"

"MARISA! STOP TALKING ABOUT IT!" Reimu swung her broom threateningly at the laughing witch, who fell on her back on the donation box.

"Haaaaaaauuuuuu…What's going on? What's with the ruckus?" Tai yawned, walking out to the veranda, scratching his semi-exposed chest, his trinket clinking with its chain and his crucifix. He plonked down on the floor, his bare feet exposed to the cold winter air.

"…Don't 'cha feel cold Tai?" Marisa asked, wiping tears from her eyes.

"…You know, I'm not sure. I've felt numb all night." Tai calmly revealed.

"Oi, oi! Sleep with the covers on, geez!" Reimu scolded, driving Tai back into the shrine with her broom.

After a very energetic morning routine, Tai was back on the veranda, sipping on hot tea.

"…Yep, I'm cold."

"I thought so da ze~" Marisa snickered, still sitting with her legs crossed on Reimu's donation box.

"If my donation box breaks under your weight Marisa-" Reimu began.

"Whoa there Reimu, I can't forgive what yer about to say there!" Marisa interrupted, flustered. "I'm still the slim, pretty Ordinary Black Witch!"

"Fufufu~ You guys are so energetic today. I wonder why."

"You've just gotten lazier Tai. You used to wake up much earlier than I have." Reimu commented, looking at Tai suspiciously.

"Sorry, sorry. Guess my body needed to catch up on some sleep. Do you need me to wake up earlier?"

"…No, no, I suppose I've been getting lazy with the shrine chores." Reimu waved that off.

"Whoa there, them's fighting words Reimu. Who are you and what kind of youkai done in the miko?" Marisa mocked a shocked look.

"Shut up." Reimu grumbled, biting into her peeled orange. Reimu and Tai were sharing the oversized blanket as they just enjoyed watching the grounds of the shrine. Marisa hopped off the donation box and joined the two, slipping under the blanket next to Tai.

"So what were ya complainin' about?"

"Oh right. Nothing has happened."

"Did you already forget the Crisis of the Suika Suika-"

"Oh yeah, that was hilarious. Great party all the way da ze~"

"You two…Shut up about those. I mean incidents, incidents!" Reimu complained.

"Incidents…You mean like that Mountain Shrine Takeover thing Marisa told me about?"

"Yep, that one Tai~"

"Wait, what did she tell you-"

"She mentioned something about being green-eyed against the green-haired-"

"Marisa, let me hit you."

"Ufufufufu~" Reimu and Marisa reached over Tai, who laid on his back, biting into his orange slices. They mock fought for a while before silently declaring truce.

"But seriously, the gap youkai's been training me up for a while…But it's already been three months. Besides Tai's guests and Aya, the youkai haven't been coming." Reimu finished her drawn-out complaint.

"Shouldn't you be happy that things are peaceful?" Tai asked, sitting back up and sipping his tea.

"Gensokyo? Peaceful? Gahahahaha~" Marisa laughed.

"Yeah…Pretty much what Marisa said, Tai." Reimu sighed.

"Well, if ya get into another scrap, I got yer back. And you can use that new little bird-shrine ya built to summon those two goddesses if ya need more help, but you might actually lose your shrine next time~" Marisa snickered, stealing some of Tai's orange. Tai sighed.

"It just feels like something big is building up, and it's been driving me mad-" Reimu continued.

"Oh? You three look rather comfortable."

Reimu looked out, her face shining with anticipation. Then it fell.

"Oh, it's just the maid…"

"My, how rude. No wonder people do not donate, Reimu-san."

"Oi, what does that-"

"Hello Sakuya-san. What brings you over to the shrine today?" Tai interrupted, waving at Sakuya.

"Man Reimu. It's a sad day when the shrine maiden fails what her roommate is forced ta do for ya~" Marisa snickered mockingly.

"Hah, I would be more polite if these people who drop by actually donate…" Reimu grumbled.

"Actually Tai-san, I wanted some advice from…All three of you I guess."

"Oh? On what?"

"Patchouli-sama has requested of me to look for a 'three-staged cylindrical magic power'…"

"For your Scarlet Rocket...?" Marisa asked, scratching her cheek.

* * *

"…_Wow."_

"_Hahahaha, it is good to see that look of awe on your face, human~" Remilia laughed, propping her chin on her crossed hands._

_Tai, Reimu, Marisa, Mimi-chan, Patchouli, and Remilia were seated around a table in the Voile, Sakuya appearing frequently with sweets and drinks. Patchouli just unveiled their grand design for their space shuttle to the group._

"_This thing looks…" Reimu tried, raising her eyebrow at the three-staged wooden rocket as she ate a scone._

"_This thing don't look like Mimi-chan at all." Marisa bluntly pointed out._

"_I can't recognize this as a Mimi-chan…" Mimi-chan pitifully muttered, looking gloomy after the unveiling._

"_Shut up Marisa. This rocket might not look like the Outside version, but it has a fully contained atmosphere within the rocket, and the hull has been reinforced to be much stronger than any metal, capable of colliding with the so-called space debris. It has advanced heating, cooling, and water supply systems and also…" Patchouli explained further._

"…_This thing is so unscientific…" Mimi-chan whined to Tai, who patted her hull sympathetically._

"_Fufufufu~ Who would need human sciences when we have overwhelming arcane might on our side?" Remilia proudly boasted._

"_Isn't this mostly Patchouli's work? You boast so high and mighty about others' works huh…" Reimu nonchalantly stated while sipping her wine with her eyes closed._

"_Is it not my right as mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion? Patchouli is my friend, so all her achievements are mine to be proud of too!" Remilia laughed._

"…_Well, that seems to be how it is." Patchouli shrugged, drinking her own tea._

"…_Can this really escape the atmosphere? Where would you put the fuel to begin with?" Tai doubtfully asked._

"_Ah yes, well, the fuel has been the obstacle for a while. The shape of the vessel is indeed more than adequate for reaching into the void of space but the power necessary for it is yet to be found." Patchouli admitted._

"_I am confident that you shall discover the answer soon Patchy." Remilia smirked._

"_My, I have such an unreasonable friend. You have made me accomplish a half year project in two months, and still you ask for more." Patchouli muttered._

"_Because I am simply confident you can, my dear sorceress. My friend Patchouli Knowledge is a being I can put such faith in after all." Remilia calmly declared._

_Patchouli hid a small smile at that._

"_Ahahahaha~ Such a good friendship between the two of ya~" Marisa laughed, liberally applying apricot jam all over her scone._

"_At any rate, may I speak to the outsider alone for a bit?" Remilia demanded more than asked._

_Reimu opened one eye at that, looking at Remilia, who was looking at Tai closely._

"_Alright then." Tai easily agreed. He finished his wine and got up, following Remilia who stood up and walked deeper into Voile. Reimu sent her Ying-Yang Orb again behind Tai as she closed her eye again._

_The wine was very good after all, Reimu mused._

* * *

_Tai followed behind Remilia, looking over the bookcases of the Voile._

_Collections of Shakespeare, of Homer, Tolstoy, Poe, Huxley, and numerous others. Divided by nation, by genre, by time periods. This was only one-tenth of a bookcase that was taller than a three-story building._

_Then there were books of languages he cannot decipher. And words in languages he cannot even see. A book shining with darkness, quite the paradox if he ever saw one, a bunch of pages that blinked in and out of existence. There were a few tomes that seemed to growl at him when he passed them by, and a collection of books that liked to switch their positions all over the bookcase._

_Tai wondered what kind of life led to such an amazing collection of knowledge. What kind of dedication to the mind, to the art of writing, to self-enlightenment that allowed one to brave every corner of the world for a simple collection of pages enclosed by a leather or cardboard cover. Or some other exotic materials, Tai amended._

_Just looking at the library described to Tai a mind so voracious that it can consume any and all kinds of knowledge. Forbidden or mainstream, harmful or soothing, powerful or useless. From tiny bits of trivia to the fundamentals of thought underpinning all of reality._

_Quite the great hobby, Tai mused._

"…_Do be silent for a while human, as I collect my thoughts." Remilia suddenly brought up. Tai, who had been silent the whole time, raised an eyebrow. He shrugged, waiting patiently._

_After a while, Remilia spoke, turning around and looking Tai in the eye._

"_I have shown quite the graceless side of myself towards one I have called a guest." Remilia ever so slightly bowed her head at Tai._

"_It is quite inelegant of myself to have shown such anger towards one who have shown himself to be quite trustworthy with my sister. Troublesome as she may be, she is my beloved kin, and it pleases me to see her much happier…Than I have been able to do for her." Remilia ever so slightly faltered._

"_And so I must apologize then for that day. Be grateful human, you shall never see me like this again." Remilia huffed, and ever so slightly tensed._

_Tai blinked at Remilia before chuckling. Remilia felt her jaw drop slightly before glaring at Tai, her eyes flaring red. "H-How dare you laugh at my sincere-"_

"_You have nothing to apologize for Remilia-san." Tai interrupted._

_Remilia snapped her mouth closed._

"_Perhaps it was graceless, perhaps it was inelegant. It was quite clumsy, and it seemed to lack some thought," Tai calmly listed off, making Remilia twitch at each criticism. She gritted her teeth as she restrained herself from attacking Tai. What an audacious human! She had killed many others for less! He was lucky to be under the protection of the Hakurei miko or he would already be…!_

"_But it was beautiful. It was a truly beautiful example of your love for you sister. So please do not apologize for being concerned for her. Honestly, I would have done the same in your stead." Tai finished, smiling pleasantly._

_Remilia said nothing, just staring at Tai for a while._

_They stayed silent for a while, a revolving Ying-Yang Orb being the silent witness of that conversation._

_Remilia shook her head and made a smug smirk. "You would so easily throw away the apologies of the Scarlet Devil. Well then, if it pleases you so much I shall take that back. It IS truly beautiful of me to be concerned that my sister has befriended quite the fool, correct?" Remilia snarked._

_Tai chuckled. Remilia just continued smirking._

"_Well then, let us join the party once more, Tai." Remilia walked off proudly._

_Big sisters must be great to have, Tai thought as he followed her._

* * *

"Indeed. It seems that I have been mistaken in what kind of fuel I was supposed to look for." Sakuya explained.

"I suppose a magical rocket WOULD need magical fuel…" Tai muttered, peeling another orange.

"That does sound interesting, though I don't know about this whole 'three-stage' business…" Reimu muttered, sipping her tea.

"Wait, no. I don't want to help youkai any further with their weird plans!" Reimu shook her head. Honestly, Tai already did that without her permission. She would scold him, but she felt like that might be futile. After all, he actively befriended youkai…

"Nah, don't worry Reimu. The vamp granny's doin' this ta annoy Yukari, so it technically counts as youkai hunting." Marisa pointed out.

Sakuya twitched. "Please refrain from calling Milady that…And don't be like that Reimu, we've teamed up before in some incidents after all, correct?" She reminded calmly.

"…Well, whatever, I don't really know how to help you with that." Reimu shook her head.

"Do you know anything more about what you're looking for?" Tai questioned Sakuya, wordlessly offering an orange. Sakuya refused and shook her head and opened her mouth when-

"Umm, wait! Wait!"

Reimu brightened again. She looked out into the tori gate with anticipation. Her face fell. Again.

"Oh, it's just Youmu."

Tai shook his head, smiling as Sakuya and Marisa laughed at the pouting Reimu.

Youmu blinked, confused, her ghost half drifting around her.

* * *

"Hello. I am Tai and I came from the Outside World."

"O-Oh, umm hello, I am Konpaku Youmu. I am a gardener of the Saigyouji household." Youmu bowed to Tai.

Tai nodded and offered her an orange.

"Oh, well, thank you…?" Youmu took it, confused.

"So what's up Youmu? It's weird ta see ya far from the ghost princess ze~" Marisa asked.

"O-Oh! Umm, you are looking for rocket fuel, correct?! Well, I, I know how you can get some!" Youmu remembered, rushing with her message.

"Oh? How do you know about it?" Sakuya looked at Youmu, smiling pleasantly.

"Oh, you've been asking around everywhere, so we've heard about it." Youmu managed to reply calmly. Tai watched a bead of sweat fall on her side. Wow, this girl was not used to lying huh, Tai mused, sipping his tea.

"So what? You got an idea Youmu?" Reimu boredly asked.

"An idea from the ghost-gal? Maybe she wants us to _give up the ghost_ and it'll send us up to space~?" Marisa snickered.

"Perhaps we'll ride a wave of spirits going to heaven up to the moon." Reimu calmly added. Her lips not even twitching.

"Maybe the shinigami is willing to ferry us over?" Sakuya teased, hiding her smile with her hand.

"Those all sound quite scary." Tai commented.

"N-NO! Jeez, you guys…" Youmu shouted, blushing furiously. The others just laughed.

"A-Ahem…Well, it seems to me that, umm, since you want to go to the moon that you have only been, um, been investigating for things about the space and sky, right?" Youmu asked seriously.

"Dunno. Have we?" Reimu looked at Marisa.

"Was I supposed ta investigate? What was my reward da ze~?" Marisa looked at Sakuya.

"Hmm…Well Tai-san?" Sakuya looked at Tai.

Tai blinked at them all. He looked at Youmu and said, "'Only', huh? So we should have been investigating something else?"

"Ah, yes, yes Tai-san! Umm, rockets are ships that fly through the sky, correct? So why not look for your 'rocket fuel' by investigating sailing?" Youmu excitedly finished.

Tai blinked. He ran that through his mind before shaking his head. What a statement. Only in Gensokyo.

"…Hmm, that indeed makes sense." Sakuya's eyes widened, rubbing her chin in thought.

"Since there are no oceans in Gensokyo, it never occurred to me to think about the rocket as a ship." Sakuya looked at Youmu and smiled, impressed. "How very sharp of you Youmu."

"O-Oh, umm, it's only what Yuyuko-sama said…" Youmu blushed, fidgeting from pleasant embarrassment.

"So we will need a way to 'calm the oceans of space' to reach the moon safely, eh?" Sakuya looked up into the sky.

"Hahahaha~ Well then, it seems like you've found a way ta be busy Reimu da ze~" Marisa smiled at Reimu widely.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Reimu looked at Marisa confusedly.

"…Oh yeah. You can call on gods and goddesses now, right Reimu?" Tai remembered.

"Yeah, but what does that- OH!" Reimu realized. She looked at Sakuya, her grin fearless.

"I've found what you're looking for." Reimu proudly declared.

As she began explaining to Sakuya, Youmu smiled, glad she delivered her message.

"Don't you want to eat your orange Youmu-san?" Tai asked, peeling another.

"O-Oh! Right!"

* * *

Two days after, Tai walked down the set of stairs, a bento in hand. He had a scarf he bought from the village around his neck, and he triple-layered his socks. He continued wearing what would be his trademark set of clothes. It was a crimson kimono with a red hakama and a white obi with some seals placed all over it. He had taken to wearing a hat too, a little something he took from Kourindou the second time he worked there, mostly in response to the many people he met that wore a colorful set of hats.

It made Flandre and Reimu look at him weirdly for quite a while.

Tai had a red hard hat that had a strong flashlight/headlight on the front. It was a fire truck red that nearly blinded anyone who stared at it directly for a few seconds. He was quite proud of the practicality of his favored choice of headwear.

The kimono was an unusual gift actually. It was given to him by the strongest youkai of Gensokyo, or so others have said, just yesterday …

* * *

_This was Tai's first Gensokyo party. One he and Reimu were not entirely certain why it started, let alone why it had to be held in the Hakurei Shrine._

_Ibuki Suika came by again, once more cheerfully drunk. Behind and below her was a small army of Suika's carrying watermelons, which brought to mind the Suika and Suika Incident. She demanded a party be held. Even while Reimu protested, Shameimaru Aya flew in, interested. She promised to send invitations and flew off before Reimu could round off on her too._

_Then Marisa flew by and heard about the party. She laughed and said she'll help out if Reimu agreed to it. Only when Tai flew back in with Mimi-chan, carrying a large order of eels and kebabs (Aya spoke to Mystia and Mokou and the two girls practically shoved the bags to him. He had to pay for them too, full price. If it wasn't for the fact that he apparently had a lot of money sitting in his wallet…Well, he thought he would have still been forced to make the purchase in all honesty.), did Reimu grudgingly agreed to the idea._

_Many people he met and many others he had not flew in. He was reintroduced to Eientei. He kissed the knuckles of a blushing Reisen and a giggling Kaguya, and welcomed Tewi and Eirin warmly. The three fairies who tried to steal his tools flew in, looked at him, and almost flew back before the scent of kebabs drew them in. The Bakatet flew in, excitedly chattering around the grounds as Tai greeted Daiyousei and Rumia with headpats. Yukari gapped in, and another gap opened besides her, letting out Yakumo Ran, a nine-tailed fox shikigami, and Chen, Ran's own shikigami. Ran seemed stand-offish at first until he offered her some tofu kebabs._

_It was quite bemusing to see such intense excitement over food._

_As Ran continued blushing, mortified, next to a giggling Chen and Yukari, Keine-sensei, Rinnosuke, and Mokou flew in, carrying some food for the party. Mokou took one look at Kaguya and then flew off, looking rather disgruntled. Kaguya hid her mouth with a fan and turned away. Keine sighed before dropping the food off, apologizing to Tai and flying after Mokou. Rinnosuke sighed at them before eating some food, drifting off next to the Yakumos._

_The people became tense the instant they saw the Scarlet Devil Mansion group. They have been a familiar sight at the parties, so this would have been unusual, but they have not brought the little sister with them until then. Many only met Flandre when the Scarlet Devil Mansion held parties, and she was very aloof and only hung around Meiling or Remilia._

_It surprised many to see Flandre launch herself towards Tai, who laughed and let her sit on his shoulders._

"_Onee-sama agreed to let me go to the party Tai! My first outside party! Oh, and let me suck your blood too."_

"_Hai, hai Flandre-chan." Tai pushed off the collar of his kimono, shivering a bit from the cold air. Flandre deftly switched positions, hugging his front with her arms and legs, and gently bit into the neck, a familiar action at this point._

_Many people just stared at the two, quite aghast. Yukari only giggled at the sight, watching amusedly._

"_Hey! It's the other little girl from the mansion." Cirno pointed out, her cheeks stuffed with eel._

"'_Other' little girl?" Remilia muttered, a tick mark on her forehead, standing ominously behind Cirno._

_As the Bakatet naturally got themselves into hot water with Remilia Scarlet, Sakuya laughed weakly and walked over to Tai with some sweets and jam. Patchouli flew over to the banquet table, grabbed some food, and went off to a corner with a book, settling in to read. Marisa, the instant she saw the magician, went off to bug her. Alice Margatroid flew in and sighed at the witch and magician and joined them naturally._

"_Thank you for your aid the day before yesterday Tai-san. Patchouli-sama saw that it was indeed what she was looking for, and the Scarlet Rocket has been finished. Here's yours and Reimu's invitation to the party that will be held soon to celebrate." Sakuya slipped Tai some slips of paper._

"_Ah, thank you Sakuya-san. I did not really do much, but it would be foolish of me to refuse. A party back to back huh. Gensokyo seems quite carefree." Tai smiled pleasantly, tapping Flandre's head. She popped out her fangs and licked the bite, healing it over. She switched back to sitting on his shoulders._

"_Tai, charge into the grounds! Let's play with onee-sama's new toys!"_

"_Now now Flandre-chan, don't call them toys. They're our guests."_

"_That's what I said, right?"_

"_Ahahaha…"_

_People learned to relax when they realized that Tai seemed to be able to calm down Flandre. Tai watched amusedly as Flandre, Mimi-chan, and a nervous Bakatet played Aerial Tag. Well, two-fifths were nervous, Cirno, Daiyousei, and Rumia did not seem to mind so much._

_Kanako, Suwako, and Sanae flew in afterwards, with Sanae cheerfully greeting Tai. They talked about the Gundam Incident, arguing over who won with whose robot. Suwako sighed as Kanako shrugged. Kanako didn't understand Suwako's hesitation towards Sanae's hobby. It seemed popular and would be a great way to gather faith._

_Aki Shizuha, Aki Minoriko, and Kagiyama Hina flew in behind them, carrying a bounty of vegetable dishes. Kanako gestured for the three to join her for a drink, which they did after placing their dishes on the banquet table. It started groaning under the weight of the food._

"_Tai-san! I heard about the Gundam Incident! Can you tell me about your side of the confrontation?!" Aya flew back in and eagerly interviewed._

"_Kappa-pa, wait, tell me how did the Fridge of the North do?! Which weapon systems did you get to activate, how did they fare…" Nitori flew in just behind her and butted in, questioning Tai._

"_So many people…This will be hard to clean up." Reimu sighed, bringing out some watermelon juice, Genji and Yu-Reimu carrying trays themselves. Suika laughed joyfully, getting the little Suikas to offer everyone spiked watermelon slices._

_This cheerfully chaotic scene greeted the Hakugyokurou Group. Saigyouji Yuyuko giggled as Youmu watched the Aerial Tag calmly. Her ghost-half seemed frenetic with energy though, circling her quite quickly._

_Hinanawi Tenshi and Nagae Iku landed, with the Celestial riding a floating keystone. They were immediately drawn in to Suika's antics, having several watermelons filled with sake shoved towards them._

_Then the Hell Group flew in. People tensed when they saw the Hell Raven that they have read about. Anyone that gained a god's power and went crazy with it would be someone you never want to meet in a dark alley._

"_Thank you for inviting us, Yukari-san." Komeiji Satori politely bowed, her pets Kaenbyou Rin and Reiuji Utsuho behind her. Utsuho seemed oblivious to the attention as she looked around excitedly._

"_Don't go wild now Okuu…" Rin sighed, her ears twitching at the cold._

"_Unyu? I want to Tag too~" Utsuho excitedly said, pointing her arm cannon at the Aerial Tag._

"_Yukari? Why are you the one inviting people to MY shrine…?" Reimu groused at an impishly smiling Yukari._

_Tai looked up at the sky, looking at the new player. She had a black bonnet and white hair, wearing a yellow dress and had…A closed eyeball trailing behind her?_

_Tai mused on that as she proceeded to dominate in Tag. The other girls could not seem to see her, leading to an overwhelming win._

_Satori looked at Tai interestedly. She looked at him with her Third Eye._

…_She really can't read him. Satori felt shock still at something she already knew. She met another person she cannot read, like her sister._

_As Flandre Scarlet flew over to Tai, put out by suddenly losing at their game, she looked on as the man fearlessly let the vampire sit on his shoulders._

_Maybe he can help…Satori mused as she drifted off to the banquet table. Rin grudgingly let Utsuho join the Aerial Tag game above the shrine. Only after Cirno threw a snowball at her (Snowball in autumn? Early winter, global warming?) did Rin join in earnestly._

"_Were you not able to bring your other friends Satori-chan~?" Yukari easily greeted from her gap, a fan hiding her face._

"_We are the Hell of Blazing Fires…The surface is often too cold for us…And are you truly letting the Oni back above ground?" Satori muttered, nursing a cup of hot tea. The surface was rather cold._

"_Well, the agreement never stopped Suika~ I just thought it would be unfair to give her special privileges~" Yukari mirthfully replied._

"…_Hmph. You didn't even let HER know about your change of heart. And really, you think some nasty thoughts too often Youkai Sage." Satori sighed, her Third Eye pointedly staring at Yukari._

"_Nasty thoughts often have to be thought to move the world Satori-chan~" Yukari giggled._

_Satori shook her head. Already she felt tired dealing with this youkai._

"_Hello Gensokyo~ We are Prismriver~! And entertainment is our game~!" A blue-haired girl in a white pajama-looking dress and white cap cheerfully greeted, her wispy trumpet floating besides her._

"_Yeah! You go Merlin~!" A gray-haired girl in a red dress with white sleeves and an equally red cap cheered, a keyboard revolving around her, leaving ghostly trails._

"_Let's show off girls~ Let's show off our pride as entertainers~" A blonde girl with a black dress with white sleeves and a matching cap declared proudly, readying her violin which also seemed to fade in and out of reality._

_Suddenly, music. The Prismriver Sisters, Merlin, Lyrica, and Lunasa seemed disconnected, chaotic. They seemed to play individually, and there was a weird feeling of hearing three different music being played at once. And the music itself was not really…Music. Tai listened as Merlin blew into her trumpet, and the rushing wind of the autumn echoed alongside the chirping of the cicada. Lyrica flourished with the keyboard, making the sounds of a waterfall and the numerous different chirps of birds. Lunasa gained a solo and played the beating of taiko drums and the dancing of the fallen leaves._

_But the times they seemed to connect, the times when their music became one…It became much larger than the sum of its parts. It echoed in the Hakurei Shrine, echoed in peoples ears, in their hearts. It was chaotic, messy, disorganized…But it was nevertheless beautiful._

_The three finished and applause greeted their shining faces. Tai clapped along, walking over with Flandre on his shoulders._

"_That was very impressive." Tai easily praised the three. "You all played quite beautifully."_

"_Yeah, that sounded nice~! I've never heard anything like that before~" Flandre enthused._

"_Ahahaha~ Thank you~ You are Tai-san and Flandre-san, correct~? I'm Merlin Prismriver~" The trumpet player and the tallest of the three bowed._

"_I'm the prettiest and the youngest, Lyrica Prismriver~" The keyboard-player made a victory pose._

"_I suppose I'm the eldest and the wisest, Lunasa Prismriver~" The violinist nodded, looking quite mature._

"_I don't suppose you take requests?" Tai asked politely._

"_Hmm~? Requests?" Merlin put a finger on her lips._

"_Huh, we've never taken requests before." Lyrica scratched her head._

"_That will be hard Tai-san…We don't really know much conventional music." Lunasa sadly explained._

"_Eeeeh~!? Well, I don't know much either…" Flandre admitted._

"_Hmm…Lyrica-san, could I borrow your keyboard?" Tai suddenly requested._

"_Huh? Uh, sure…Wait, can you?" Lyrica floated down, confused._

_Tai shrugged as he looked at the keyboard. He played a few scales, and the three Prismriver sisters suddenly closed in, looking very interested._

_Tai then closed his eyes and tried to remember. He started the music, a beautifully floating music that was simple in design. It reminded one of the joyful wildness of a band that loved music with all their heart. Then Tai tripped, or more like he missed a note._

_The five winced._

"_Ah, sorry. It seems that I cannot truly remember. Let me try again…?" Tai asked as Flandre and the sisters nodded._

_Tai concentrated. He let his hands settle on the keyboard, barely touching the keys. He brought back old memories of the music he loved to hear so much. He tried to remember how they sounded, how they made him feel._

_How they made him forget._

_**~Prismriver's Theme: Ghostly Band ~ Phantom Ensemble by ZUN~**_

_From under his fingers, the keyboard started playing. The four and the rest of the party watched as Tai's thoughts suddenly resurrected that much beloved music. Drums which did not exist started playing alongside the keyboard._

_Lunasa did not move as much as react. She brought her hands to her violin and started playing electric violin sounds. She looked as surprised as the other two then settled into the moment, taking in the memories of that song that Tai began feeding them._

_Then as Lunasa and Tai reached a crescendo, Merlin seemed to almost butt in with a powerful trumpet solo, but then deftly fits into their ensemble. Tai opened his eyes, his eyes faded, lost into memories. He started playing what he can with the keyboard, and unconsciously made room for Lyrica. Lyrica felt her hands drawn, and the two played together._

_It was also chaotic. It was quite a bit of a mess of sounds. But…_

_They could feel it. The happiness of the players. The swing and the joy the notes gave them, the music invoked in them._

_The happy-go-lucky spirit of a band. A thanks to each other, to their efforts. Even as they individually played, they did not forget that they were part of the group. And so they converged._

_Their soloes, adding on to each other. A duet. A trio. A quartet. And then their ghostly ensemble._

_They played, and the Prismriver Sisters felt a wild energy inflame them. They felt the clapping hands of their littlest and eldest sister Layla as she cheered them on._

_The three, with Tai just accompanying with a smile, flourished. They wildly, loudly played. They put in their individual souls, their single thoughts, their unique love to their craft. They brought it together as only a band could. As only sisters could._

_Because their music was honest, was free, and they were poltergeists who were made of emotion, everyone could not deny them. And so the ensemble played on._

_Flandre began dancing in the air alongside the Bakatet and Utsuho. They simply reacted towards the feelings being inspired in them._

"…_This is…Very good." Reimu complimented, looking at Tai interestedly._

"_This is very interesting…" Eirin, Suwako, Patchouli, and Ran muttered, looking closely._

_Yuyuko closed her eyes, humming happily at the feelings the band seemed to have for that song. She looked over at her friend Yukari, and felt her smile widen. Yukari had a wide smile on her face. She noticed Yuyuko looking and deftly hid it with her fan._

"_You seem to have a fun plan ready~" The ghost princess giggled._

"_Mmhmm~" Yukari agreed to nothing as the three sisters finished, with an enthusiastic applause from everybody._

_And suddenly something glowed in Tai's pocket. He blinked and took out…A blue card. A spell card._

_Tai blinked. Then he smiled._

* * *

The gap youkai just presented the clothes to him after that performance, saying it was a welcome gift to Gensokyo. Reimu seemed to react suspiciously, but Tai already accepted it. She slapped him over the head and told him not to just take everything people give him, especially youkai.

Then Tai pointed out that he really had only three sets of clothes to himself. Reimu grudgingly nodded, then told him they were going to go shop for clothes. A daunting prospect, but one he seemed unable to escape.

"What are you thinking about Tai?" Reimu lazily floated in the air on her back, looking at Tai.

"I was thinking about how delicious this bento will be during lunch." Tai reacted, smiling pleasantly.

Reimu didn't really believe that but let it go.

Tai looked up at the sky, holding out his spell card. And then he declared.

"**Chastity Sign:**_ My Feet Shall Take Me Everywhere, Anywhere!_"

* * *

"_So give them this message. Tell them it was from me, and everything will turn out well for you."_

"_T-Thank you Yagokoro-sama! Umm, ano…"_

"_What is it?"_

"_I, I tried searching the whole area, and, and…I'M SORRY! I lost the lunar veil!"_

"_In the Bamboo Forest of the Lost? My, that is quite troublesome…I will send Tewi out to search, but it did not earn that name for no reason. It might be lost forever."_

"_Uuu…"_

"_Ahahaha, don't worry. I can send you back. There are many other ways to get back to the moon. These days, it feels like I'm the only one who still knows…"_

"_Uwaa~ That's amazing Yagokoro-sama~!"_


	12. The Second Lunar War Part Three

Reimu yawned, reluctantly getting up from her futon. She caught a falling Yu-Reimu, and gently placed the yukkuri on her pillow. Her first step in her morning routine.

She shuffled off her room, keeping her eyes closed. She found the kitchen, and walked over to the counter. Her second step.

At this point, two things can happen. If she reached around the counter and found her tea pot that would tell her that she was the first one awake. Only then did she make her mental list of chores for the day. If she does not find her tea pot that would tell her that Tai woke up first, and then she can adjust her mental list of chores. That would be the third step.

Today, she did not find her tea pot. Tai woke up first. She kept her eyes closed and shuffled to her dining table. She reached towards the center and found her warm tea pot. She grabbed a cup and poured herself a cup of tea. She would sip the warm drink and feel her cold body warm up. Only then did she open her eyes, looking out to her shrine's grounds. The fourth step.

"Good morning Reimu." Tai waved at Reimu as he swept the grounds, almost finished.

"Mornin'." Reimu would mutter. The fifth step.

After drinking tea, she would take a bath and clean up her room, waking up Yu-Reimu-chan. At this point she would also wake up Genji, but Genji decided to 'pseudo-hibernate' the winter away, and retreated into the garden, sleeping through the cold. That would be the sixth step.

Then she would make breakfast for four. Herself, Yu-Reimu, Tai, and Marisa. She opened their new fridge and muttered good morning to it, a habit that rubbed off on her from Tai, and it called good morning back. She reached around for ingredients and made breakfast. That would be the seventh step.

"Breakfast is ready!" Reimu called out towards Tai.

"Alright, almost done!" Tai would shout back.

"Yo Reimu, Tai~! Good morning da ze~ Oooh, breakfast, I'm hungry~!" Marisa would fly in, already energetic.

"Hello~ I hope you are having a great 11.5 degrees Celsius morning~!" Mimi-chan would chime in happily, following behind the witch. The eighth step.

"Itadakimasu~" Reimu, Marisa, and Tai would say, and the three plus yukkuri would eat. Mimi-chan would sip on a can of oil Tai had been storing just for the missile. The ninth step.

"Alright, I'm going to go work on the vegetable garden." Tai would excuse himself.

"I'll get started with cleaning the shrine then." Reimu would reply.

"I'll just sit here and watch da ze~" Marisa would snicker.

"Let me help you Tai~" Mimi-chan would follow the man, or she would stay with Marisa and talk to Reimu.

"Help out you lazy witch…" Reimu would mutter, annoyed. Marisa would just laugh at that and Reimu would sigh, getting her cleaning tools. The tenth and last step.

Just another Hakurei morning in Gensokyo today.

* * *

"…Ah. You've been in Gensokyo for two months already Tai." Reimu suddenly realized.

"Hmm? Oh yes, I have been huh." Tai mused, carrying a basket of vegetables and potatoes.

"…How did you get such a yield already?" Reimu raised an eyebrow, looking at that basket. She picked up a potato and tossed it up in the air. She caught it easily and began squeezing it. Nice feeling, looks good.

"The Aki Sister goddesses have helped me rather well…" Tai smiled.

* * *

"_Thank you Aki-sama!"_

"_Thank you so much for this year of plenty!"_

"_Thank you for the bounty you have given us this year!"_

"_Ahahaha, you are welcome~" Aki Minoriko blushed prettily before the farmers._

_There was quite a crowd in the Human Village surrounding the sweet potato stand. Tai looked on as he landed, watching as several people prayed towards that little blonde with a red cap. The cap had grapes, looks delicious, Tai mused._

"_Oh, that's Aki Minoriko. She's the younger half of the goddesses of autumn. She's the goddess of harvest." Reimu explained, looking over where his eyes were._

"_The younger half?"_

"_Yes…I don't see her, but the older one is Aki Shizuha. She's the goddess of the falling leaves."_

_Tai stopped at that. "Really? There's a goddess for the autumn leaves?"_

"_Yep. Why are you surpri- Oh, right. You are Christian right." Reimu remembered._

"_Well, in Japan, we call them kami and there are kami for everything. A kami for the river, a kami for the shadow under the stones, a kami for the stones themselves, and many more like that. We call them the 8 Million Gods, but honestly, there are probably a whole lot more. The world is a big place after all." Reimu explained bemusedly._

"_Hmm…So many huh." Tai nodded._

"_Heh, well, there's also an interesting thing about kami. A kami could divide itself into two, but those two kami would have the same strength as the one kami each. And they could divide themselves forever if they had the room." Reimu continued on._

"_Really? So if a kami was a ten, a kami divided into ten parts would all be tens still?" Tai asked._

"_Yep. It doesn't make much sense mathematically, doesn't it? But that's how it is. Each kami is a will of the world. You can spread the will around in people, and the will could be as strong in each person as it was for the person who began it. And eventually, you have a religion." Reimu shrugged._

"…_Is that true too for Kanako-san and Suwako-san?" Tai blinked._

"_Oh yeah. I'm not sure if they've done it before, but it's more than likely possible for those two."_

_Tai thought on that as he walked further towards the farming shop. Well, he would have, with Reimu going towards the food shops but…_

_That tree._

_It had a full canopy of red-yellow leaves._

_It was autumn, but it shouldn't have been there. Many trees surrounding it have already been laid bare as the winter crept in._

_It led further into the forest._

_A beautiful, mischievous wind made the trail of fallen leaves dance. Tai walked in, drawn._

_They danced again, at the very edge of winter. They caressed his cheeks, his hands. They were cold, deathly cold, and yet they danced with the wind._

_A dance of dead, fallen leaves._

_A juxtaposition of autumn and winter._

_He watched them. A final symphony around him, dancing a waltz with each other. They circled him, desperately living the brief moment the wind gave them._

_It was an ugly desperation. A shameless display._

_It blazed in his eyes. They were…_

* * *

_He watched from afar._

_There was a blonde girl with two red maple leaves on her head._

_He could not see her eyes as she looked down._

_Down on a fallen deer. It looked weak. Its breathing was shallow. If you only looked briefly, the fact that its chest did not seem to move often would have convinced you it was dead._

_Tai looked around that clearing. It was ringed by vibrantly flaming canopies. Defiant against winter, leading a festival of falling leaves. They played around the area, around him, dancing desperately, moving without hesitation._

_But not on those two. Between each other, around them, the leaves did not dare to touch. A bubble surrounded them._

_Despite the loud waltz of the autumn leaves, it was quiet in that bubble. Deathly quiet._

"…_You. Fallen Beast." Aki Shizuha finally said._

"…_You, starving away, eyes almost darkened by the embrace of the shinigami…"_

"…_You must lament…That at your final moments…You see only I, the Symbol of Loneliness and Demise…And not the Symbol of Abundance and Plenty…" Shizuha muttered. Emotionless. Apathy._

_The cold wind blew, and the leaves danced more animatedly. This was no mere dance anymore. The red-yellow leaves just tried to keep moving, desperately riding the winds as best as they could. A grotesque symphony of movement. No grace. No elegance. Just the frenzied motions of the dying._

_It was…_

"_I disagree." Tai and Aki Minoriko said together._

_The three did not bother to look at each other. The two girls were goddesses. They have known he was there for a long time. Tai did not bother. He would not tear his eyes away._

"_I am sure that it was glad to see you, at its final moments onee-sama…" Minoriko whispered. She walked closer to her elder sister, her bare feet remaining clean even as they step on the ground. The chastity of goddesses at work._

"…_Why do you think so?" Shizuha muttered._

"_Because…" Tai moved closer to the two. As Minoriko hugged Shizuha from behind, Tai watched a world at the brink. When the life within them gave out, this small clearing, this whole world for that dying, almost blinded beast, would settle, resting. Forever._

_They (Those two small goddesses, those desperate, shameless leaves, beasts, youkai, humans) were…_

_It (That beautiful autumn, that chaotic waltz, that brief, frenetic, short life) was…_

"_You're beautiful."_

* * *

Tai took off his hard hat and shielded his eyes from the bright, winter sun. As those two goddesses left for the winter, they kindly blessed his plot, giving him quite the bounty. Not bad for his first harvest.

"Hmm…Maybe I should call on them each year then. If we can get this much food each time." Reimu thought out loud.

"Hahaha…Well, try not to overwork them." Tai shook his head, smiling.

"Meh." Reimu waved that off carelessly.

* * *

Reimu, Marisa, and Tai were flying in the sky. Mimi-chan went towards the kappa for maintenance, and it seemed like Genji and Yu-Reimu were hibernating. Reimu was teaching Tai how to fly with his spell card. Or so she pretended but…

"So a Movement Type Spell Card will teach you all you need to know about how to fly." Reimu mused. Her spell cards were incessantly vibrating as she flew next to Tai.

"…I feel like I'm in a dream." Tai muttered, his eyes bright.

"Must be a damn good dream, huh Tai~? Flyin' in Gensokyo is the best da ze~" Marisa laughed.

Tai was not suspended with wires. He was not being supported by Mimi-chan. He did not have wings.

And he was flying.

His eyes glowed blue briefly and he saw it. The world within this freedom.

An endless blue all around with clouds above and below.

Tai spun in mid-air and laughed joyously. He accelerated and decelerated, he flew standing up or as a Superman. He flew in seiza, he flew upside-down.

"Wow, this Spell Card is pretty neat for a non-danmaku." Marisa praised.

"He has perfect maneuverability with this spell card. It's pretty amazing. Tai, turn left?" Reimu called out.

Tai saluted them and turned left. It was a sharp 90 degree turn and he did it effortlessly. He began cartwheeling in the air, and made squares in the sky. He whooped in joy.

"Damn. He could get good at dodging danmaku with a spell card like that." Marisa whistled.

"Well, yeah, but he only needs to get hit once and he's dead." Reimu snarked.

"True, true…" Marisa shook her head. "Too bad for him, danmaku is damn fun."

"Besides, this spell card only allows him to fly. He can't really shoot any bullets." Reimu explained. Tai began moonwalking in mid-air, humming a song. Huh, it had a good beat.

"He can wait out spell cards…Oh." Marisa realized.

"Yeah. Unless the other person is willing to play with only one spell card, even just waiting out that one spell card would make him time out. Then he would fall out of the sky, won't he." Reimu sighed.

"So no. No danmaku for Tai. At all." Reimu declared. Marisa shrugged and nodded.

"HEY, TAI-GUY! ARE YOU CHALLENGING THE STRONGEST?! OKAY! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A SPELL CARD DUEL!" Cirno barged in, flying towards them.

Before Reimu and Marisa could even react, the barrier formed around Tai and Cirno. Cirno called out a spell card, "**Ice Sign:** _Icicle Fall…_"

"TAI! IN FRONT OF CIRNO, IN FRONT!" Marisa screamed out.

"CIRNO YOU NINE-BALL! TAI CAN'T TAKE DANMAKU!" Reimu roared out.

"…_Trap!_" Cirno opened fire, sending an x-formation hail of ice bullets from around her body towards Tai. Then the bullets seemed to converge. Tai, sweating, flew in front of Cirno as fast as possible, twisting his body around the ice bullets he can see. He contorted his body in ways he never knew he could. He managed to get in front of Cirno, and the bullets converged behind him narrowly.

"HAH! YOU FELL FOR IT! EYE AM THE STRONGEST!" Cirno cheered. Tai blinked at Cirno who pointed up. He looked up. A large block of ice was falling towards him.

"…Oh my." Thud.

* * *

The spell card battle ended quickly as Tai fell, the ice block dissipating as a spell break sound formed.

"…Huh. Tai guy was pretty we-" Cirno scratched her head.

"**Divine Arts**:_ Demon Binding Circle!_"

"**Love Sign:**_ Master Spark!_"

Cirno was suddenly held in place then was engulfed by Master Spark.

As Cirno started respawning, Reimu and Marisa dove down to catch Tai. Tai fell with a huge bump in his head, and his eyes swirled. The two girls reached for him who was about to hit the canopies when-

A blur, and Tai was gone. Reimu and Marisa looked around wildly and found Aya, holding Tai.

"Ayayayaya~ What happened?" Aya asked, confused.

* * *

"Oh~? The Restrained Wandering Outsider has a spell card~? But I thought he was banned from playing danmaku." Aya questioned. They were all in Eientei Pharmacy, Eirin hooking up various IV drips.

"He was. He just wanted a spell card that would let him fly." Marisa replied.

"How is he Eirin?" Reimu asked, subdued.

"He'll be fine. He was hit hard on the head though. He has a concussion and there are a few hairline fractures on his skull. He'll be fine by tomorrow though, he already showed a predisposition towards Lunarian curatives." Eirin assured, looking through her piece of glass.

Once more, Tai was bed-ridden. Reimu could at least assure herself that it was not her fault that time, but…It happened in front of her all the same. And she couldn't really do anything about it.

Reimu pinched the bridge of her nose. So what should she do? Just ban the use of his spell card?

…He looked so lively flying though.

Then what? What could she use to deter people from attacking Tai?

"TAAAAAAIII! Are you okay Tai?! That stupid fairy, I'll **'kyuu' her repeatedly, screw fairy regeneration.**" Flandre barged in, growling at the end. Eirin, Aya, and Marisa flinched, watching the vampire warily. Eirin knew she should have taken Tai to Eientei.

"…Flandre-chan." Reimu suddenly said.

"**What red-white?**" Flandre growled. She took out her stress ball and squeezed it, taking deep breaths as her eyes flashed insanely.

"This is an order from the Hakurei miko. You are now Tai's guardian in spell card duels. You two are partners until either of you say no." Reimu declared. She wrote quickly on an amulet and threw it up in the air. It flashed white, then disappeared.

"…Huh?" Everyone else blinked.

* * *

"It's the same kind of partnership system we used before against the aliens." Reimu explained.

Reimu, Marisa, and Aya flew back towards the Hakurei Shrine.

"So what would it mean for Tai then?" Marisa asked, holding on to her hat. It was rather windy that day.

"It means that, if Flandre is nearby, she can enter a spell card duel involving Tai and act on his behalf. Likewise for Tai." Reimu answered. She sighed.

"What a display of trust from the Hakurei miko! This is a scoop in itself here~ So the miko is entrusting her human roommate to a youkai huh?" Aya scribbled on her notepad.

"…Well, this should be fine. Those two are apparently friends after all." Reimu shrugged.

"Still, kinda weird from ya Reimu. You wouldn't really trust youkai with anythin'." Marisa pointed out.

Reimu looked at the sky. She thought about last two months. Tai appeared, and suddenly he befriended the little sister of the Scarlet Devil of all things. He easily acquainted himself with youkai, and was even cordial with Yakumo Yukari. He flirted with a moon rabbit of all people, and seemed to treat the Bakatet like they were children (Not saying they didn't act or think like one, but they were chronologically older than most humans).

Then he went and caused mini-incidents with his vampire friend. Her eyebrows twitched at that.

"He'll be fine. He trusts them. Must be something there…" Reimu muttered.

* * *

"_**So you really won't fight huh?"**_

"_**Ya think yer better than us?"**_

"_**Hah. He's just a wuss. He won't lift a single damn finger against anyone."**_

"_**Hahahaha! Let's beat on the loser some more then!"**_

"…_**Oi. Why won't you go down dammit?!"**_

"_**Ah, you weaklings, move aside."**_

"_**W-Wait, a bat?! You might actually kill hi-"**_

"_**Ha…Ha…Ha…You…You…Why won't you go down?!"**_

* * *

Tai woke up. His head was ringing, and his hair hurt.

A concussion? He repeated to himself.

I am…Tai. I am from the United States. I am a human. I was kidnapped at a young age…

Tai assured himself that he still remembered everything. He opened his eyes, then flinched and closed them, then flinched from flinching. He held still, working through the pain of his head.

Damn. He really hurt- Huh. Someone was holding his hand. It was warm.

Tai slowly opened his eyes. He looked towards his left slowly. Blonde hair. Crystalline wings.

He faintly ran through his mind about who that was.

"…Muu? Hawaaaaaa…Onii-chan!? You're awake!" The girl suddenly stood up, cheering.

He flinched and curled up into a ball, his hands on his ears.

"O-Oh, right. Concussion. What did that moon lady tell me to do…" The girl fretted.

Tai got a drink and slowly sat up. He looked around the room. A fantastic looking machine sat on his other side. Words seemed to just come out of the machine, then floated towards another room. It looked very smooth, a strange kind of stone? Metal? It showed no signs of metalwork, looking like it was found like it was. No nuts and bolts. It was kind of shiny-

"Onii-chan? Look at me." The girl asked softly.

Tai looked at the girl. She carefully grasped the glass of water. She gingerly lifted it. She seemed to nod to herself and brought it over to his lips. He took a long drink. She brought it back to the tray and carefully placed it back, then slowly released her grip.

She seemed satisfied. Happy about doing that.

"I've been practicing with my strength onii-chan. I've done well, huh?" The girl whispered proudly.

"…Who are you?" Tai slowly asked.

Dead silence.

"Wha….What?" Flandre looked stricken.

"Are you…Really my sister?" Tai blinked at her. He looked at his hands and slowly tightened them to fists.

"Who…Am I?"

"…N-n-no…That **fairy….I will kill her…I will kill her until she stays dead, I swear…**" Flandre sobbed out, gritting her teeth, her eyes flashing lunatic red. She tried to take out her stress ball but dropped it, her hands shaking. She tightened it into a fist. A vase in the corner of the room fell apart, shattering quietly.

"Onii-chan…I, I'm Flandre…Flandre Scarlet…W-We're friends…" Flandre desperately grabbed his hand, squeezing with all her might. She could only do so with him.

"P-Please…Don't forget me…W-We…You're my friend…" Flandre cried, shaking.

Tai sweatdropped.

"A….Aha….I was just joking Flandre-chan…" Tai felt like a total heel.

Another dead silence.

* * *

"It seems that you have awoken- What happened? Why are you grasping your stomach like that?" Eirin rushed over, concerned.

Flandre pouted in the corner. She kept squeezing her stress ball, muttering dark litanies against Tai.

"Ahahaha…It's nothing to worry about…I deserved that…" Tai replied uneasily.

Eirin blinked. She looked down on the curled up ball that was her patient.

"…It seems there's a story here."

"Indeed. Let's move on from it?"

"…Alright." Eirin shook her head. "So, how do you feel?"

"I feel like someone dropped a huge ice block on my head."

Eirin's eyebrow twitched. "Indeed. You really shouldn't have been playing danmaku Tai-san. You know how dangerous it is for you."

"I assure you, I did not mean to do so." Tai sighed. He slowly uncurled himself. His stomach felt tender.

"Hmm…Well, Reimu said she made sure this will not happen again, so there is that." Eirin said, checking her glass computer.

"Hmm? How did she do that?" Tai raised an eyebrow.

"She said that she made Flandre-san your partner. That means that she can enter any danmaku duels you get into. You can also do the same if you want." Eirin explained.

"Oh? Okay." Tai nodded.

Eirin was used to Tai's calm. In fact, she found it kind of soothing.

"Tai-san, Tai-san! Are you okay?!" Reisen barged in.

Tai flinched and covered his ears again. "Not so loud dojikko-san…"

"Inside voices Udongein!"

* * *

"…So are you satisfied now?"

"Yep!"

Tai sighed. Flandre dragged him around the village, forcing him to buy her all sorts of foods. Then she made him eat a lot, then drank some blood from him, and made him eat a lot again.

At least she forgave him. Tai will remember not to act the amnesia bit again.

"So Onii-chan? Are you coming to our party?" Flandre asked, eating a kebab. She sat on his shoulders again. At this point, such a sight was so familiar that the humans and youkai in the village paid them no mind.

"Yeah, I guess I am. It should be fun. So the Scarlet Rocket will be ready for launch, huh." Tai mused, eating some eel.

"Meh. Onee-sama, Sakuya, and Reimu seem to be the only ones going. It's unfair." Flandre complained, finishing the kebab. She threw it carelessly behind her.

"Flandre-chan, let's not litter now." Tai admonished.

"It's just a skewer stick onii-chan." Flandre shrugged, propping herself on Tai's hard hat. It made Tai wince.

"I still feel a little tender there Flandre-chan." Tai sighed.

"So~?" Flandre sing-songed.

"Hey, you, young girl!"

The two turned towards Keine, who looked rather cross.

"Don't you know how bad it is to litter? It dirties the environment and therefore dirties the mind, and people have to expend energy fixing the mess you left. They could have used that energy on many more worthwhile things, but because you carelessly littered, they had to lose time to clean up after yourself. I know that you are a youkai, so it does not matter, but humans have limited lifespans…" Keine lectured.

"…Who is this old lady?" Flandre complained boredly.

Snap.

The humans looked at Flandre incredulously. They started backing away hurriedly, though some of the kids wanted to stay and watch.

"Now now Flandre-chan, you should never call women old. Would you like to be called old?" Tai scolded.

"I'm still young and pretty, no matter how old I get. So I'll never be called old." Flandre smirked, shrugging.

Keine shakily took off her bento-hat.

"…Tai-san, let the impudent brat down. Please." Keine grounded out.

"There's no need to resort to violence Keine-sensei." Tai sighed.

"Corporal punishment reinforces lessons better than thousands of words." Keine retorted.

"A student without reason cannot be taught any lesson except with pain. Since they do not exist, it is better to teach with example than pain." Tai replied leisurely.

"Education is handled best with two of its best tools: Inquisitive minds and a big stick." Keine snapped out.

"A lesson reinforced by fear crushes the creativity of the mind. It can only hurt children." Tai answered. Huh, they were getting into it again.

"It is through the fear of consequences could a person understand the responsibilities they have in society." Keine sighed. She was gradually enjoying their game again though.

"Responsibilities enforced are not responsibilities learned. A student will react when they must think in the world." Tai confidently replied.

"But without the threat of punishment, order cannot be maintained. Children are inherently chaotic in mindset and manner." Keine declared.

"Children want, children get. They will either be stopped by adults or they will keep trying." Flandre joined in.

"A lack of discipline leads to soft minds. Soft minds could never realize their full potential and remain extremely impressionable." Keine interjected.

"Everyone leaves a mark on each other, an impression that will never go away. It might be shallow, it might be deep, but it is unfair to deny that we become part of each other the moment we meet." Tai pointed out.

"First impressions leave the longest and largest impression. We only get one chance to introduce ourselves to each other with the most impact." Keine nodded.

"First impressions aren't everything though. It is foolish to believe that we can find out everything about another just from the first meeting." Flandre denied.

"Maybe not, but caring about our first impressions makes us care about how we should act with each other, and make us mindful of what we do with one another." Tai countered.

"Honesty then is the best policy. We shouldn't need to pretend with each other, and lying about ourselves will just hurt ourselves in the long run." Flandre nodded. Tai and Keine winced at that.

"Sometimes though, lying is needed. It might be the only choice you can make to lead an honest life." Tai sighed.

"Everyone wears a persona that allow them to interact with each other. It might become false, it might not be, but we shouldn't deny that it is still a part of us." Keine agreed.

"…Muuu…" Flandre sighed, admitting her loss. Tai and Keine nodded, and gave each other a smile.

"…What are you three doing?" Mokou muttered, picking up the skewer and throwing it into her stand's trash basket. The surrounding crowd applauded them, and they started, blushing embarrassedly.

* * *

_A dark city. Stained by eternal night. Under the deepest parts of the ocean._

"_**What can you see with your 'Eye'?"**_

"_**You've asked me this a week ago, then three days ago, then just an hour before. And the answer is the same. Frickin'. Nothin'."**_

"_**How strange…Is it because this moon is smaller than ours?"**_

"_**I'm bored~ The wildlife here are boring~ Make me some playmates already~"**_

"_**Hai, hai~ I just ate a lot, so here are some playmates for you~"**_

_Several howls. Many incomprehensible buzzing. Then a snap, snap, snap. Silence._

"_**I'm bored again~ You know what, I'll just wander around…"**_

"_**Have fun Milady~"**_

"…_**I'm back."**_

"_**What did you find out? How is your range now?"**_

"_**Not as much. I don't know whether to call it a blessing or a curse, but I can't see as much as I did before."**_

"_**Hey, shut up, I'm working here."**_

"…_**You're lying on your bed."**_

"_**Yeah, working here. Besides, SHE is too."**_

"_**She is dreaming. That's how she is."**_

"_**Zzz…Zzz…"**_

"_**Tch. Favoritism…"**_

"_**Whoo, what a haul!"**_

"_**Oi, I'm working here!"**_

"_**You're just lying-"**_

"_**Yeah, yeah, go be greedy elsewhere. Dammit…"**_

"_**What did you find?"**_

"_**Treasure! Gold, jewels! And look, a space ship."**_

"…_**What?"**_

"_**Yep. I looked inside and look~"**_

"…_**Hmm…"**_

_A pause._

"_**Was it because of the neighbors upstairs?"**_

"_**I guess."**_

"_**Can you tell what they're doing?"**_

"_**I use the moon to watch the Earth. Can you make your own eyeball watch itself?"**_

"_**Sigh…You're so useless right now~"**_

"_**yOU wANT a fIGHT?"**_

"_**Oi, calm down…Why am I the voice of reason?"**_

"_**Wonders never cease."**_

_Outside, a sea cliff crumbles and falls into a trench._

"…_**Sigh, this is boring~ Where are you, onii-chan?"**_

* * *

"Are you ready to go to the party?" Reimu asked Tai, holding Yu-Reimu in her arms. Reimu was wearing a wool cap, mittens, and a fluffy red scarf. Yu-Reimu was wearing matching headwear herself.

"Yu~ Yu~" Yu-Reimu cheered.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming…" Tai called out from his room. He slid his door open and came out. He was in his trademark clothes.

Reimu's eye twitched. "What took you so long if you weren't going to change?"

"Huh? I did. I'm wearing new socks." Tai tilted his head to the side.

Reimu shook her head and sighed.

"Yaho~ Are you three ready~?" Marisa flew down, waving at them energetically.

It was two days after Tai was injured. They planned to spend yesterday just lazing around, hiding under the kotatsu. They were interrupted by Marisa though, who dragged them into Alice Margatroid's house…

* * *

"_What's going on?" Reimu complained, lifelessly slumping under Alice's kotatsu._

"_Look at this…" Alice Margatroid brought over a crystal ball. She tapped it, and brought out a square screen in mid-air._

_Those dolls are incredibly cute, Tai marveled._

_There were many of them. Dressed in frilly dresses, as maids, as warriors, as chefs. There were some of people he knew. A doll of Reimu, of Marisa, of Patchouli. There were several other dolls of people he did not recognize. There was a blonde red-white maid outfit. Then there was a white-haired woman in red robes and six-white wings._

_And there were several more moving. He looked at dolls preparing tea, getting sweets, moving the crystal ball and a stand._

_Seven-colored Puppeteer indeed._

"_You're very good at your craft Alice-san." Tai easily complimented._

"_Oh? Thank you very much Tai-san." She nodded, blushing slightly. She doesn't get praised much for her work._

"…_What am I looking at?" Reimu sighed, propping her head with one hand. She reached for a rice cake and bit into it, glaring at the floating screen._

"_I don't recognize this youkai. Do you know about her Reimu, Marisa?" Alice asked, pointing at the screen._

"…_Huh. Kazami Yuuka." Reimu looked closely, now interested._

"_I know right? It looks like she's about ta enter a scrap with the gap youkai." Marisa said excitedly._

"_Who is Kazami Yuuka?" Tai blinked._

"_The Flower Mistress of the Four Seasons!" Marisa declared importantly._

"…_Yeah. She's a flower youkai. She manipulates flowers." Reimu explained further._

"_Kazami Yuuka…" Alice muttered to herself._

* * *

"_Hello there Gap Sage." Kazami Yuuka smiled pleasantly. She had shoulder-length green hair and wore red plaid pants, a red waistcoat, and a plain white shirt. She also twirled a flowery parasol as she looked up._

_Yukari was looking down on Yuuka, propping her head with one hand. Only her top half was outside her gap, and she hid her face with her fan._

"…_Hello there~" Yukari cordially replied._

"_So you are the one who manipulates boundaries…" Yuuka kept twirling her parasol._

"_Oh~? How did you know that Kazami-san~?" Yukari never took her eyes away from Yuuka._

"_Do you not grow flowers in your garden~? They seem really happy there too~ You take care of them rather well, I'm glad~" Yuuka smiled at Yukari brightly._

"…_Hmm, I see~" Yukari closed her fan. Her tone was light, but her face was set in a frown._

"_Why did you attack my shikigami, Kazami Yuuka?"_

"_Ah, was that fox yours~? You really should tell her not to wander into my flower garden~ I don't like pests very much~" Yuuka kept smiling._

"…_She was sent here to speak to you. She was a messenger." Yukari flatly stated._

"_Oh was she now~? Oh yes, I remember now, I wasn't supposed to shoot the messenger, correct~?" Yuuka hummed._

"…_Well, I didn't shoot the messenger. I just punched her until she retreated. I suppose I'm in the clear~" Yuuka kept up her pleasant smile._

_The two were quiet, just staring at each other for a while._

"…_You will not apologize, will you Kazami Yuuka?" Yukari shook her head._

"_Apologize~?" Yuuka laughed happily. It was an innocent, joyous laugh._

"_Are you saying I was in the wrong then? That your beast shikigami had every right to trespass into my territory?" Yuuka kept her smile, but her eyes began flashing red._

"…_What an impudent youkai you are. So young and already you speak like you are my equal." Yukari's emotionless face seemed like carved stone, though her eyes also began flashing red._

"_Ahahahahaha~ And so you boast. I've heard my flowers tell me. It seems like many in this Gensokyo consider you the strongest." Yuuka's smile darkened._

"_I suppose I should set things right then." Yuuka bared her teeth._

* * *

"_Remi, look at this…" Patchouli gestured over to Remilia. Remilia, sharing a drink with Flandre, Meiling, and Sakuya, looked over._

"_What is it Patchy?" Remilia questioned._

"_Yakumo Yukari is fighting someone."_

"_Oh? Well, watching her danmaku would be a pleasure, but I am speaking with-"_

"_This is not a danmaku battle."_

_At that pronouncement, Remilia hurried over, looking over Patchouli's shoulder._

"_Huh? What is it onee-sama?" Flandre bounded over, seated on top of Patchouli's chair._

_Meiling and Sakuya walked over, looking into the crystal ball, curious._

_Patchouli tapped her crystal ball and brought out a square screen. She tapped the screen and muttered something, and the screen expanded. Koakuma, noticing the commotion, flew over._

"_What's going on Sakuya-san?" Koakuma asked curiously._

"_I'm not sure myself Koakuma-san." Sakuya shrugged._

"…_Who is that green-haired youkai?" Remilia asked tightly, her brows furrowed._

"_Hmm…? Oh, Kazami Yuuka-san. She's a flower youkai."_

"_Flower youkai? Ahahahaha~" Flandre laughed._

"_Flandre dear, be quiet." Remilia snapped. Flandre stopped, blinking at Remilia._

"_A flower youkai?! Don't be ridiculous! Then how is she matching Yakumo Yukari?!"_

* * *

"…_Hmm…" Eirin looked into her screens intently._

"_Huwaa…Eirin, you're still up- What?" Kaguya yawned then started._

"_Kaguya-sama…Why are you still awake?" Eirin glanced at her princess before looking back._

"_I'm not able to do so tonight, it seems…Who is that? Who is fighting Yakumo-san?" Kaguya pointed out._

"_Hmm…I've only heard about her once. Kazami Yuuka. She's the mistress of the Garden of the Sun."_

"…_Why are they fighting?"_

"_I'm sorry princess, but please let me watch."_

_Kaguya blinked and nodded. She watched with Eirin._

* * *

"…_What a hypocrite Yukari-san." Kanako muttered, looking into the distance._

"_I know. She tells us not to go crazy in Gensokyo but there she is." Suwako agreed, looking at the same area._

"…_I wonder how we can use this moment…"_

"_We probably can't."_

"_Heh. Still, that green-haired youkai…Never seen her before."_

"…_Yeah. It's worrying how we missed someone like her."_

* * *

"_Eldest Daughter, are you watching the Earth again?" Iku leisurely floated next to Tenshi. She looked down on the Earth and felt her eyes widen._

"_Iku, who is that flower youkai?" Tenshi demanded more than asked._

"_Your manners Eldest Daughter…" Iku absent-mindedly scolded. "…Ah yes, Kazami Yuuka. She lives in a sunflower field."_

"_Kazami Yuuka…" Tenshi muttered. She looked intensely at the Garden of the Sun._

* * *

"_Youmu-chan~" Yuyuko called out from her veranda. She seemed to stare into the distance of Hakugyokurou._

"_Yes Yuyuko-sama?" Youmu blinked from the kitchen._

"_Do you know a woman with green-hair and lives in a sunflower garden~?" Yuyuko sang out._

"_Hmm…Oh yes, Kazami Yuuka-san. She was a flower youkai and manipulated flowers." Youmu remembered. "Why Yuyuko-sama?"_

"_It's nothing~ Don't worry about it Youmu-chan~" Yuyuko easily replied._

"…_Umm, okay…Well, I'll have dinner soon…"_

"_No no, take a small break Youmu-chan~ I'm not hungry right now~ If you make it now, it'll just get cold later~" Yuyuko carelessly said._

_Youmu spluttered, looking at her mistress incredulously._

_Youmu could not see the deep frown Yuyuko had as she watched._

* * *

"_Ayayaya…I'm not sure if this is a scoop or not…" Aya muttered._

"_If you don't want this, then I'll get the report ready Aya-san." A brown, pig-tailed tengu with purple ribbons, hat, and patterned skirt and a pinkish shirt retorted, closing her eyes and putting her cell phone on her forehead._

"_Lord Tenma has commanded us to assess the situation, Shameimaru-san. Himekaidou-san will support the report with different-angled shots." Momiji snapped, her eyes wide. Her irises seemed to form a target sign which zoomed in._

"_You can read lips, can't you Momiji-chan?" Aya easily ignored Momiji's hostility._

"…_Yes. I shall begin dictating, please ready yourselves." Momiji reported._

* * *

_Several tens of gaps opened in the sky of the Garden of the Sun. Yukari never moved, just staring down on Kazami Yuuka. Then she rained judgment. Those gaps opened wide, and bright orbs came to be._

_Bright lasers fired directly at Yuuka. Yuuka brought her parasol to the front and deflected them, her arms straining under that firepower._

"_You will need much more than tens of lasers to beat me down, Gap Sage." Yuuka easily sang._

"_Very well." Yukari did not move again, but hundreds of gaps opened, around her, behind Yuuka, over the Garden of the Sun._

"_Oh dear~" Yuuka muttered, smiling._

_Thousands of suns came to be, then fired on the flower youkai._

_The sunflowers rose up around Yuuka, opening up their blooms and spitting out bullets. Some lasers were deflected, some were cancelled, but most shredded those flowers. But they kept growing and growing, building on top of each other, taking the laser hits, stopping them through sheer stubbornness and numbers._

_Kazami Yuuka stood in a circle of shredded flowers. She looked up at Yukari, and closed her parasol. Then she threw it._

_Her prodigious strength made it fly with incredible force. Yukari retreated into her gap to dodge it, and it flew in and out another gap. She appeared in another of her hundreds of opened ones, continuing the laser barrage. She waved her hand and sent a cascade of amulets._

"_A youkai wielding magic and sanctified amulets…You are a strange monster Yakumo Yukari." Yuuka easily said as she danced around the lasers and the amulets. She flew up, her composure never breaking, her pleasant, darkened smile remaining. She caught her parasol and threw it out again. As the amulets and lasers crowded around her, as she threw her parasol, she opened her body wide._

"_Reflowering Gensokyo."_

_Incredibly powerful explosions burst forth around Kazami Yuuka, taking in the form of huge bulbs of flowers. Whole stems of energy extended towards Yukari who flew out her gap, twisting and grazing petals, leaves, and pistils. She threw out her hand, her eyes wide with concentration, and called forth seal arrays. Holy, arcane, spinning in place, glowing, calling forth primordial forces. Barriers, elemental or fundamental, breaking under the weight of Kazami Yuuka's magic. Barriers behind barriers, finally stopping such explosive force._

_She missed the parasol, and dodged it. The sheer force behind the throw took out a huge chunk of her side though._

"_Guh…!" Yukari almost closed her eyes with her flinch._

_She opened more gaps and fired energy bullets, and reached through two gaps with her arms to slam amulets on Yuuka's back. Yuuka turned around with a kick, and her eyes widened when she missed and they glowed._

"_GAAAAAAAHHHH!" She screamed as holy energy electrocuted her. Her flinch made her take so many bullets, but she bit through the pain and fired again._

_Energy explosions in the shape of a blooming flower formed in the sky, and they displaced so much air that thunderous aftereffects kept sounding, deafening anyone within a few miles._

_Yuuka slammed down to the ground. She gripped the earth, and suddenly thousands of flowers covered her, and they glowed as they took in the sunlight. She burst out of that flowerbed, fully healed, and made several colossal flower stems that shined in the light. _

_Their petals flared out at Yukari, who twisted and turned and retreated into gaps, but she did not escape unscathed. The petals were as sharp as swords and they were alive, searching for her. Yuuka made a few more sunflowers grow, and she made them throw their sharpened blooms at Yukari as she picked up the stems. The ends became as pointed as spears, and she threw them with titanic force._

"_I did not realize you can manipulate flowers to this degree!" Yukari called out. She was genuinely impressed as she flew between the sunflower shuriken and stem spears, the force of the throw creating vacuums that cut through her flesh. This could not be called manipulation. This was complete and utter dominion over flowers._

"_I did not realize you were this weak!" Yuuka scathingly replied._

_Yukari's eyes narrowed as she touched one of the colossal stems. She manipulated the boundary of Kazami Yuuka's plant to Yakumo Yukari's plant. She repeated for all colossal stems and had them hammer down on Yuuka. She retreated into a gap, escaping the rain of spears._

_Yuuka's eyes widened as Yukari took over her flowers. She dodged, cartwheeled, then flew off, landing on one of the stems and running on it to the top. She jumped and flew again towards another stem as the previous one was cut off by another colossal stem. She ripped it open and retreated inside the stem, and the other colossal flowers smashed it to bits. Safe in the unmolested stem parts, she got out and rolled to the ground and slammed her palms down. The broken flowers resurrected, and they fought back the ones that betrayed her._

_Holy light flashed down on her, and a gap opened that created a deluge of caustic holy water on her. She screamed in pain as she burned, and all her flowers, even the ones that were taken over, came under her control again as they shielded her. They all glowed under the sunlight and she took their energy in, healing herself._

_Yukari appeared behind Yuuka. Ten other gaps formed around her, and eleven suns fired lasers at her back._

"_Heh." Yuuka smirked. Yukari's instincts flared and a gap formed under her feet._

_Before the attack reached Yuuka, the flower mistress's flowers, still glowing from the sun, exploded. She burst forth with incredible magic, and a magnificent, yellow bulb of energy formed around her, blooming and shaking the ground with incredible force._

_The Garden of the Sun became a crater. Yuuka looked around the new wasteland, her form smoking. She called her parasol to her hand and opened it, putting it on her shoulder. Just in time to deflect the bullets fired on the back of her head._

_Yukari appeared back in the sky and opened more gaps. The sky, around her, on the ground. The gaps on the ground released nuclear fire, the gaps from above fired a rain of energy bullets, and the gaps on the sides released thousands of seals, forming a formidable barrier that shined holy light._

_Yuuka, surrounded by such incredible firepower, responded with even more. The wasteland became filled with millions of flowers, surrounding the world with incredible masses of life. Fire burned through them but became smothered, and colossal flowers shielded Yuuka from the rain. Yuuka leisurely walked over to the barriers, her mouth releasing blood as she bit her cheeks through the pain. Amidst the carnage of nature, her body burning, peeling layers of flesh, she strolled through the holy light. She made a full-powered kick against the barriers._

_Yukari flinched as a crack appeared. 'She's really breaking through it through sheer physical force…She's like an oni…' Yukari was becoming even more impressed. She upped the battle further._

_Before Yuuka could kick again, the boundary of earth and sky flipped. Suddenly Yuuka was in the sky. Yuuka just floated as her flowers fell to the ground, then Yukari manipulated the boundary of flight and gravity. Yuuka fell to the ground with incredible force, a thunderous explosion sounding as Yuuka was buried to her waist. Then Yukari manipulated the boundary of matter and void, and a vacuum in the appearance of an eye formed over Yuuka, which created a powerful roar as air rushed in, crushing the top of Yuuka's form. Yukari restored all her boundary changes quickly. It would not do to unravel the Hakurei Border by needlessly manipulating boundaries after all._

"…_Wow, the world just twisted around me. So this is the manipulation of boundaries…" Yuuka muttered, impressed despite herself. She lifted herself out and laid on her back. Her entire body seemed broken. She made flowers gather sunlight again as she healed. She was back in seconds._

"_This battle will not end, Kazami-san." Yukari called down. She manipulated the boundary of her being injured to her being fully healed._

"_Ahahaha, no it will not." Yuuka laughed easily. She found her parasol again, stabbed into the ground. She took it out and opened it, twirling it on her shoulders._

"…_You will continue fighting, won't you." Yukari shook her head. For the first in a long time, she smiled ferally._

"_Ahahaha~! There can only be one strongest youkai in Gensokyo, Gap Sage!" Yuuka bared her bloody teeth._

"_Then let's make this simple. One last attack." Yukari declared._

"_Alright then." Yuuka agreed._

_Yuuka recreated her garden again. Thousands of sunflowers formed, facing the noon sun, gathering energy with great abandon. The sheer force of the speed of their gathering set them on fire, but they continued, feeding Yuuka's well of energy. She glowed with arcane energy, and a yellow corona formed over her._

_Yukari opened her eyes wide, glowing white with power. Thousands and thousands of gaps formed around the two, forming barriers upon barriers. Floating in the air, she opened her arms wide as one large gap opened over her head. From the gap appeared…_

* * *

"_WHAT!? THAT FOOL!" Kanako swore._

"_She could break the barrier like that?!" Suwako gasped._

* * *

"_Holy shit." Tai declared, wide-eyed._

"_What? What?" Marisa questioned, her eyes stuck on the screen._

"_What is it Tai?!" Reimu asked quickly._

"_What's wrong?!" Alice breathed out, taken surprise by Tai's sudden words._

"_That's…!"_

* * *

"_The Beauty of Nature."_

_Kazami Yuuka's form disappeared under the incredible might of what could be likened to a volcanic eruption. The blue, flaming form of a sunflower blooming blazed in the sky._

_In response…_

_Yukari threw down a Fat Man._

_The world exploded._

* * *

"_Holy shit, what kind of spell is that?!" Aya swore. The resulting aftermath was so large that they didn't need the best vision in the tengu forces, Momiji, to see it._

"_Oh my Lord Tenma…" The pig-tailed tengu dropped her cell-phone, her fingers suddenly nerveless._

_Momiji actually had to look away or she would have been blinded._

* * *

"…_What is that weapon…?" Eirin whispered, beyond shocked._

_Kaguya had covered her mouth in horror._

* * *

"_Damn…I don't know what's scarier, that Yukari-san could call down a nuke, or that she managed to limit the explosion…" Suwako muttered, massaging her forehead._

"_So this is Yakumo Yukari…" Kanako shook her head._

"_And that's the one who managed to force Yukari-san to attack like that…" Suwako pointed out._

"_Yeah…Kazami Yuuka huh…"_

* * *

"…_Hmph. This is getting boring." Remilia scoffed, turning away._

"_Milady?!" Sakuya said, shocked._

"_Onee-sama…" Flandre flew after Remilia, looking back at the screen wide-eyed._

_Meiling let out a shuddering breath. She shook her head._

"_Meiling?" Sakuya looked at Meiling questioningly._

_Meiling just smiled weakly at Sakuya. "I'm going to turn in."_

_Sakuya just nodded as Meiling left the room._

"…_Youkai like them still exist huh…" Koakuma muttered, shocked._

"_Don't worry about them, Sakuya. I suppose it is a different perspective with humans…" Patchouli assured the maid._

_Sakuya just blinked and nodded. She continued watching the screen._

* * *

"_Damn Yukari…Did she use such a flashy attack to purposely blind me…?" Tenshi muttered, rubbing her tearing eyes._

_Iku didn't bother replying. She was watching intently. This incident must be reported and archived._

* * *

_"…Hmm~ I'm hungry Youmu-chan~ Feed me~" Yuyuko called out helplessly, turning with a teasing smile._

_"Ah, hai!" Youmu hurriedly set out the table._

_Yuyuko sighed imperceptibly. Yukari plays around too much, Yuyuko pouted._

* * *

_The Garden of the Sun was shattered. Several areas were made into molten slag. Many others were glassed. The flowers that flooded the area became ash impressions on the ground. It was a terrifying sight. But no one could see because of the incredibly thick mushroom cloud in the epicenter._

_It blanketed the sky. Only Yukari's barriers limited the explosion, but they fell and let the smoke come out. It would have blanketed Gensokyo…_

_But they were gathering into a ball. The smoke, the radiation, and the fires._

"_Aiyahyahyah…I heard there was gonna be a scrap 'round here…Didn't think Yukari of all people would be in it though…" Suika cheerfully said, drinking from her gourd. She gathered up everything harmful into a ball over her head, walking around the radius of the crater._

"_Oiya? Whahahahaha~ You two are sure tough~" Suika laughed uproariously, looking down into the crater._

_Yuuka and Yukari were fallen in the center, smoking. They were still breathing though, and their burns were healing. Yuuka laid on a gradually growing flowerbed, helping restore her health. Yukari slowly ran through the calculations, manipulating her body's boundaries back to full health._

"…_Who won…?" Yukari asked Suika hoarsely._

"_Huh? Dunno, couldn't see over those attacks, wahahahaha~"_

"…_Huh. I passed out for a bit." Yuuka muttered, blinking her eyes open._

"_Then I suppose I win." Yukari rasped out._

"_You lie."_

"_Maybe~"_

"_Hah…" Yuuka let her head fall down on the flowerbed._

"_Hahaha…Well whatever. I lost. So I will have to apologize huh."_

"_Indeed." Yukari slowly got up. Her clothes reformed alongside her body. Soon enough, she was back to full health._

"_Here, let me help with your clothes." Yukari fixed Yuuka's clothes too._

"_Heh. Thank you Gap Sage."_

"_Please. Call me Yukari."_

"_Hmm…Then call me Yuuka-sama."_

"_Ahahahaha~" Yukari laughed._

"_So Yukari, where do ya want this stuff ta go?" Suika called out._

"_Hmm…" Yukari opened a gap near Suika. Suika didn't bother looking and threw it in._

"_One day…We'll have to finish this fight." Yuuka muttered._

"_Well, not right now. I am busy after all." Yukari smiled. She walked into a gap, and it closed behind her._

"_Welp, I'm done today. Time ta party, whoo~!" Suika laughed, flying away._

"…_They didn't even bother helping me clean up, huh." Yuuka muttered, looking around._

_She sighed and went to work._

* * *

"…_They survived a nuke point-blank." Tai flatly stated._

"_What's a nuke, Tai?" Marisa questioned._

_Tai didn't say anything. Couldn't really say anything._

"_Oiiiiii~ Anybody home?" Marisa shook his shoulders._

"…_Why aren't you more shocked by this, Marisa?" Alice said, shocked._

"_That's just Marisa being Marisa." Reimu muttered. She started eating the snacks again and drank her tea. She made a face at her cup. Cold tea. Yuck._

"_Hmm? Why would I be shocked? I always knew they were strong." Marisa tilted her head at Alice._

_Alice shook her head, sighing. A fundamental difference in perspective then. For the Seven-colored Puppeteer, who did not like going all-out as losing after that would reveal to her that she would never win, the sight of such titanic forces would certainly shake her world._

_Kirisame Marisa though…She would probably just shrug and work even harder. Then she would challenge them again, and again, for as long as she survived. That's Marisa being Marisa._

_No, Alice realized. That's humans being humans._

_She used to be human, didn't she…Alice thought to herself. How strange that turning into a youkai would change her perspective so much._

_Maybe there was merit to Marisa's methods…_

_As soon as Alice thought that, she sighed, massaging her forehead._

"_Still, I'm kinda surprised." Marisa scratched her head._

"_What?" Reimu looked at Marisa._

"_Ya didn't notice? I mean, sure, it ain't a spell card battle and all, but…"_

"_Yuuka never used the Master Spark."_

* * *

Tai shook his head. He saw some incredible things that day.

"C'mon Tai, let's go!"

"Coming."

* * *

"_Are you okay Yukari-sama?" Ran said concernedly. The shikigami looked completely fine._

"_Honestly Yukari-sama, I thank you for avenging my wounds, but there was no need to fight yourself…" Ran muttered, preparing Yukari's dinner._

"_You are my shikigami Ran. Of course I would need to fight for you. That's what it means to be your mistress." Yukari replied. Her body felt incredibly sore._

"_Yukari-sama…" Ran blushed, then shook her head. "Still, you really shouldn't have held yourself back so much if it would just lead to you being so injured…"_

"_I was merely doing as my opponent did." Yukari smiled, taking in the fragrance of her tea._

"…_The flower youkai held back? Against you?" Ran replied, shocked._

"_Indeed. I wonder why that is…" Yukari muttered._

"_Still…So there was a youkai in my Gensokyo like her…It was like fighting in the old days…" Yukari smiled widely. Her plans kept changing as new factors came in, but she couldn't help but feel excited._

* * *

_**#$%Thank you for Giselebon and Chado for inspiring this chapter. Many Touhou writers have worked together to create a beautiful Gensokyo within my head, and I can only hope to show you all my Gensokyo.%$#**_


	13. Tai Interlude One

_When Tai started remembering, he lived in that dark city. It was a rather large city actually. The buildings were quite modern if dilapidated. The streets were empty except for abandoned cars, and the lampposts were harsh, bright. That city was always set at night. A mist covered the world, so thick like pea soup, but so wispy like ghosts._

_It was a dead city. Except for him._

_He remembered exploring that city. He went through each building, opened every car door, slept in every home, backseat, park._

_It was a cold place._

_Not cold in the sense that he was always freezing. The kind of cold he would only realize much later on._

_Tai remembered without bias. He remembered everything._

_He always found food. He didn't know why, but whenever he was hungry, he could go into a diner, a restaurant, or a supermarket and just eat there. He would only realize much later on how the food never rotted, how those places served him without anyone else doing so._

_He lived like that for two years. All by himself._

_He started remembering then. It was only when he turned eight when he started understanding._

* * *

_One day, he woke up and found THEM._

_THEY were…Odd. Strange. Kind of creepy._

_He slept in the park, on a soft patch of grass near the fountain. __THEY appeared out of nowhere._

_THEY reached out to him. With THEIR hands? With THEIR feet? He didn't understand then._

_He remembered THEM talking. THEY talked, and he remembered how he didn't understand a thing. He remembered how he didn't understand how THEY spoke._

_He remembered not understanding anything. Like why THEY were there. Like why he was there. What THEY spoke about. What THEY looked like. What THEY actually were._

_And he didn't understand then. Like he didn't understand now. Why he took THEIR hands._

* * *

_He was naked. He remembered that then. He spent two years just naked._

_THEY clothed him. THEY took him to a new place in the city. It was far away from those familiar streets, those tall buildings, those empty streets. It had many trees. Grass. Flowers. Under that gray sky, with an empty light shining on that small world, THEY took him to what would be his new home._

_It was a university. He realized that much later on. It had so many buildings. A whole building with just chairs. A museum. A cafeteria. Several dormitories. He used to sleep in a different room each day for a year._

_It had a library. It was very large. It extended so many stories, and contained every kind of book he could think of, could want then._

_It had computers. They worked, and he didn't realize how odd that was until much later on._

_THEY taught him to read. THEY taught him to count. THEY taught him to write. THEY taught him to speak._

_That was when he started understanding. This world, his life…_

_It wasn't anywhere near normal._

* * *

_THEY were obviously not human. He understood that once he started reading history and fantasy._

_What were THEY? Who were THEY?_

_He asked THEM one day._

"_**aHAHAHA~ sUCH a wEIRD qUESTION~ wE'rE wHO wE aRE, aREN'T wE~?"**__ She sounded high-pitched. Childish before he knew what a child was. Excited. Careless. Simple. And so boundlessly confident. Everyone else acted the way they wanted, but when she wanted to, they acted as she wanted. A strange leader. It wasn't until much later when he would learn why she ruled._

"_**wELL, mILADY iS cERTAINLY cORRECT *munch, munch* bUT i tHINK hE wANTED tO kNOW wHAT wE aRE sINCE wE aREN'T hUMAN." **__She sounded mature. Deeper than the first voice. She was elegant and wild. Cultured and barbaric. And hungry. Always hungry. It wasn't until much later when he would learn what she ate._

"_**hMM? i lIKE wANDERING, sEEING nEW sIGHTS aND sTUFF." **__She always acted as she wanted, traveling anywhere she desired. She seemed to always know what was going on, like she can see everything. She always knew where he was at any rate. She wandered and returned as she pleased, without paying heed to anyone. It wasn't until much later when he would learn where she went._

"_**nO, nOT wHAT wE'RE lIKE, wHAT wE aRE."**__ She seemed the most normal of them all. She spoke emotionlessly, coldly, and she seemed to disappear often. She seemed to enjoy correcting of her sisters, acting sarcastic before he learned what sarcasm was. It wasn't until much later when he would learn why she did._

"_**hAH! yOU wOULDN'T uNDERSTAND a sINGLE tHING, kID. yOU'RE sTILL tOO sTUPID tO gET iT, yA hEAR?"**__ She was very mean most of the time. She always had a retort for everything, and always pointed out the negativity and ignored the positivity. She also knew people's secrets and made fun of them mercilessly for it. It wasn't until much later when he would understand how she did._

"_**iF yOU rEALLY nEED tO uNDERSTAND, yOU wOULD nEED tO pAY a pRICE~ tHAT'S hOW tHE wORLD wORKS kID. bUT tHAT cOULD wAIT uNTIL lATER, hERE, hOW dO yOU lIKE yOUR nEW tOY~? dON'T yOU lIKE mE tHE bEST fOR gETTING iT fOR yOU?"**__ She seemed to like things a lot. She has a lot of them, and she would trade one to get another with anyone. She traded for anything, for other things, for their approval, for their cooperation. She always preached how everything had a price. It wasn't until much later when he would understand how true she was._

"_***Yawn* fOR nOW, yOU aRE oURS, sO wE aRE yOURS." **__She slept a lot. She was always dreaming, the others said. She was the nicest to him when she was awake though. Maybe because they talk a lot when he dreamed? She knew how to enter his dreams somehow, and they spend the time either talking or just sitting together. It wasn't until much later when he would understand why she dreamt._

_He didn't understand then what THEY were to him. What THEY wanted from him. What he wanted from THEM._

_All he knew then, was that THEY were always there. THEY were there for most of his childhood, a part of his every day._

_And THEY all felt cold. So cold._


	14. The Second Lunar War Part Four

Reimu, Marisa, Tai, Yu-Reimu, and Mimi-chan were about to fly from Hakurei Shrine to go to the Scarlet Rocket Party.

"Did we turn off the stove?" Tai asked Reimu, rubbing his palms together.

"Yes. Did you close the door to the back?" Reimu asked in kind, her breath letting out a fine mist.

"Yeah, I did." Tai nodded.

"Did you remember ta close yer fridge~? I took out some chilled wine out da ze~" Marisa smiled mischievously.

"Oi, close the fridge yourself then. Jeez…" Reimu complained.

"Hang on, I'll check…" Tai walked back in.

"We're gonna be late, aren't we?" Reimu sighed.

"Yu~ Yu~" Yu-Reimu cheerfully agreed.

"Brr…It's cold out mistress. The nice kappa made me freezeproof, but still…" Mimi-chan complained.

"Alright, here~" Marisa muttered some words then conjured a set of scarves all over Mimi-chan.

"Yep, I'm warmer now~ And my computer processes are heating up from trying to analyze how you conjured matter out of nowhere mistress~" Mimi-chan happily reported.

"Oh~? That's good then, shishishishi~" Marisa snickered.

"Yeah, it's closed." Tai came back out, locking the shrine doors.

"Let's go already." Reimu insisted.

"Oh, hello Reimu-san, Marisa-san, and…Oh, the musician-san!" Yuyuko suddenly said.

The Hakurei group looked around and found Yuyuko and Youmu fly down towards them.

"Oh~? Well, if it isn't Youmu and the ghost princess~ What's up?" Marisa greeted cheerfully.

"Hello incomprehensible phenomena~" Mimi-chan followed suit.

"Ahahaha, I'm Yuyuko, Yuyuko, Miss Scientific Invention~" Yuyuko giggled.

"It's kinda weird seeing you two out together." Reimu raised an eyebrow.

"Hello Yuyuko-san. I'm Tai." Tai formally introduced himself.

"Hai hai~ I know you Tai~ You've appeared in the newspaper after all~ Do you want to visit Hakugyokurou later~? I can arrange things rather neatly~" Yuyuko giggled.

"Oi, don't invite Tai to the afterlife so casually." Reimu denied, exasperated.

"No thank you Yuyuko-san. I want to stay with Reimu." Tai refused politely.

Reimu, Marisa, and Youmu blinked at Tai. That was…Blunt? What?

"Ohohohoho~? I see, I see~" Yuyuko teased with a smile, glancing pointedly at Reimu.

"What?!" Reimu snapped at Yuyuko, blushing. Dammit, Tai easily says embarrassing things.

"Shishishi~ Lucky you Reimu~" Marisa elbowed her, smirking. Her eyes shined with mischief.

"Wawawawa…" Youmu stuttered, her hands covering her mouth. She looked at Reimu, impressed and shocked.

"What?!"

"Wow, are you really that cold Reimu? I could lend you one of the scarves I have on right now." Mimi-chan offered concernedly over that blush.

"Yu~ Yu~" Yu-Reimu giggled naively.

"We really should go. We're going to be late." Tai pointed out helpfully.

"You…Shut up!" Reimu snapped at Tai.

Tai blinked at her innocently.

* * *

Tai marveled at the Scarlet Devil Mansion at night. The lanterns lit all across the grounds made it quite a beacon from the distance. Besides the lanterns, the natural light shining from the wings of the fairy maids made it seemed like dots of light were dancing all over the mansion. Quite the wondrous evening sight.

"So this is Tai-san's spell card…" Youmu muttered as she flew, looking intently at Tai's flight. Tai was flying in his favorite position, seiza style. Upside-down.

"Oi, why are you flying so weirdly Tai?" Reimu sighed, flying with Yu-Reimu in her arms.

"This position gives me a different perspective on life, Reimu." Tai replied calmly.

"Huhuhuhu~ And what do you see now Tai-kun~?" Yuyuko laughed flying on Mimi-chan.

"…Everything is upside-down."

"Of course it is!" Reimu snapped reflexively.

"Ahahahaha, nice tsukkomi Reimu ze~" Marisa laughed on her broom.

"How is he managing to keep his hat on while in that position…?" Mimi-chan wondered quietly.

"Haaa…The year is almost over huh." Reimu randomly brought up.

"Yep da ze~"

"…Nothing much happened so far…" Reimu complained.

"Oh~? But wasn't your shrine almost taken over-" Yuyuko began.

"IGNORING THAT, nothing much happened. I hope this moon trip will be interesting…Otherwise this would be a boring end to the year." Reimu sighed.

"Now now Reimu-san, you should be happy that it's been peaceful so far." Yuyuko lightly admonished.

"Hah, not when you watch Tai and Flandre hang out~ Man, they must be hated by the tengu by now~" Marisa laughed.

"When I was archiving the Bunbunmaru Newspaper articles you have mistress, it seems that they seem more exasperated than anything, considering Tai has the mountain goddesses' favor." Mimi-chan cheerfully reported.

"Is it odd for you to see that goddesses are real Mimi-chan?" Tai asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope~ I can see them, I have scanned them, so I know they're real~" Mimi-chan happily answered.

"Hahahaha~ Yep, that's the best way ta do things Mimi-chan~ If ya can't trust yer eyes, what can ya trust~?" Marisa agreed.

"Then what if you're blind~?" Yuyuko wondered.

"Ha? Well, huh…" Marisa scratched her head as the group flew over Scarlet Devil Lake.

"Well, I can at least understand why Remilia is so excited. At her age, it must be hard to find interesting things to do, huh." Reimu continued.

"As long as you keep busy with small but meaningful things, I feel like you'll always lead an interesting life." Youmu chimed in optimistically.

"Well, it's good to be busy everyday…But if all you do are trivial things, what's the difference between you or a moving corpse~?" Yuyuko smiled brightly.

Reimu, Marisa, and Youmu looked at Yuyuko, sweatdropping.

"Aren't you a ghost Yuyuko-san?" Tai wondered, righting himself as they flew down.

"Yuyuko-san is a ghost?!" Mimi-chan said, shocked.

"Yeah, I don't want ta hear that from a moving corpse like you ghost princess." Marisa shook her head.

* * *

The Scarlet Devil Mansion was much fancier that night. The floors and windows shined with a cleanliness Tai was sure did not come from the fairy maids. He appreciated their efforts as a frequent guest to that home, but…Well, he was sure this was not their work.

He fixed his hard hat, looking at the crystal chandeliers, the many portraits of Remilia and Flandre and their lives. Oh? Those were portraits of Meiling, Patchouli, Sakuya, and Koakuma. They were new.

"Red-white, black-white! Stoopid, stoopid! You afraid of THE STRONGEST so you attack from behind?!" Cirno flew in from behind them. She looked rather mad at them, fuming intensely.

Reimu gave the ice fairy a look. It was a look that should never appear on a shrine maiden.

"Eeeeeek! Oni miko!" Cirno flew away.

"That girl…What a nineball." Marisa sighed.

"You still didn't explain what being a nineball meant mistress…" Mimi-chan sighed also.

"Maa, maa, it's okay Reimu. I didn't die, so don't worry, don't worry." Tai tried to calm down the miko.

"It's because you don't worry that I have to! Sheesh, be more concerned with your life." Reimu retorted.

Tai blinked at that slowly. He shook his head, smiling.

"…What?" Reimu looked at Tai, confused. What was that expression?

"Ah, don't worry, don't worry." Tai shook his head.

"…Hmm…" Yuyuko looked on, a bit amused. What an interesting young man to give a face like that.

"Yuyuko-sama, Yukari-sama is waving us over…" Youmu tugged at Yuyuko.

"Hmm~? Oh, Yukari-chan~" Yuyuko floated over to Yukari, who was only half-present through one of her gaps, Chen and Ran besides her. Youmu bowed at the group and followed after her mistress.

They entered the banquet hall, which was much larger than the outside gave it credit for. There were a lot of people there, fairies, youkai, immortals, humans.

Oh? Mokou was here despite the fact that Kaguya was nearby. She seemed to stick to a corner, just talking to Keine and Rinnosuke.

Tai wondered about those two. He asked Reimu once and all she said was that they were both immortal and they had a grudge against each other. Immortals with a grudge…

Wise men often said that hate and anger could burn a man out. They were powerful, violent, and horrible, and they harmed both others and their owners. What was it like for immortal beings to have hate and anger? Do they ever burn out? Do they ever get tired? Do they ever learn to forgive?

Or maybe, just like their eternal lives, those flames of wrath never burned out, always there for the rest of their lives?

What a scary thought. What a pitiful life, immortals have then.

Ooh, the ham was quite good, Tai thought as he ate.

"This is the Scarlet Rocket! With it, we will sneak into the moon!" Remilia proudly announced on a stage.

"Sigh…I know it's mean of me to say so, but that isn't a real rocket…" Mimi-chan sighed sadly. Tai gave the nuke some wine, and Mimi-chan drank it in one go.

Yes, a missile drank wine. You did not read that wrong.

"Onii-chan~" Flandre bounded over, landing on Tai's shoulders. Flandre was dressed in a scarlet dress, more suited for dancers than anything. Her hat was replaced with an equally scarlet bonnet, and her wings seemed to shine even more than they usually did.

"Heya Flandre-chan, how have you been?" Tai began.

"I'm good~ I was playing chess with onee-sama, and I beat her~ Must be because I got so much practice with ya~" Flandre cheerfully replied, dexterously switching positions to his front. Tai let habit take over and bared his shoulders and Flandre gently bit into it, taking her drink of blood.

"Hmm…A new type of skinship between sentients? A marking ritual by the species classified as vampire? I wonder if Tai's physiology is at all affected…" Mimi-chan muttered, surreptitiously scanning Tai.

"Tai-san, Tai-san!"

Tai turned around to see the Prismriver Sisters fly over. Flandre, finished, popped her fangs out and licked the wound, healing it over.

"Tai-san, would you be willing to share with us another song you have?" Lunasa pleaded, her eyes shining.

"Yeah, we've never heard the sounds we played until that day~" Lyrica agreed hopefully.

"So play with us again~! I'll share my trumpet this time~!" Merlin gave a friendly wink, giving a victory sign.

"Ne ne, onii-chan, you should do that! I want to hear another song too." Flandre cheered excitedly.

"I heard a lot about that strange phenomenon! I want to see, I want to see!" Mimi-chan agreed.

Five girls, or specifically, four humanoid girls and a rocket pouted pleadingly at Tai.

"Ahahaha, I'm flattered…" Tai laughed. He thought about it, rubbing his chin. He nodded to himself and smiled at the expectant Prismriver Sisters, Flandre, and Mimi-chan.

"I have just the song. But Flandre-chan, you'll have to promise me one thing." Tai warned.

"Hmm~? What is it, I'll do it, I'll do it~" Flandre nodded, smiling eagerly.

"You're going to have to look at me the whole time, okay?" Tai smiled at Flandre.

Flandre blinked, then blushed. Mimi-chan blinked as the Prismriver Sisters giggled.

* * *

"And there he goes, meeting up with youkai immediately." Reimu sighed. She decided to just sit down on the ground, feeling intensely lazy.

Marisa laughed, bringing over a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"Ya should have been used to it by now Reimu. Tai is a friendly guy." Marisa gave Reimu a glass and sat down next to her. Patchouli was up on stage explaining the details of the Scarlet Rocket, while Remilia kept hyping up the project.

"She's so excited when she didn't really contribute anything huh…" Reimu muttered, shaking her head. She poured herself some of the wine and swirled it around leisurely.

"Ahahaha~ That's how the vamp granny is~" Marisa grabbed the bottle back and looked at her glass. She seemed to think about it for a while before shrugging, tossing away the glass and drinking straight from the bottle.

"Oi, I might want some more…" Reimu sighed.

"Puwaaaa~! That's some good wine da ze~" Marisa laughed.

"Are you drunk already?" Reimu twitched.

"Well now, is the gravity much higher in this corner? Or perhaps you feel a weakness with your body lately. If so, I have some medicine for that."

Reimu looked over as Eirin walked towards them, sipping her own glass of wine.

"So the Lunarians came too huh. Do you want a souvenir from home?" Reimu asked, smiling teasingly.

"Hmm…Some ilmenite might be nice. But the Earth is my home now you know." Eirin smiled.

Once more, Remilia excitedly takes center stage as she announced, "I'd like to take suggestions now for names for the rocket! There are three stages, so pick a good trio of names!"

"Naming the rockets~? Mimi-chan, you got any ideas~?" Marisa called over her rocket.

"Hmm? Naming rockets? What rocket…" Mimi-chan muttered, a bit coldly.

"Oi, oi, still hung up on that huh…" Marisa sweatdropped.

"Mistress, would you like it if any other girl decided to wear your clothes, grabbed a broom, and started pretending that they were witches?!" Mimi-chan fumed, floating over from where Tai and the Prismriver Sisters were plotting. Flandre seemed to have drifted off to Meiling, still slightly blushing as she hid her face. Meiling just laughed and gently lifted up Flandre, putting her on her shoulders.

"I'd Spark them." Marisa said instantly.

"Oi, no. You're supposed to protect humans with me." Reimu complained.

"Naming a vessel for the Sumiyoshi gods? Giving the wrong name would only unnecessarily make the journey more difficult, and still they…" Eirin sighed exasperatedly.

"…How do you know the rocket is housing the Sumiyoshi gods?" Reimu narrowed her eyes.

A beat.

"Patchouli-san was just explaining about it a few moments ago Reimu-san." Eirin calmly replied, taking a swig of her drink.

"…Hoooo…" Reimu backed down, though she glanced at the Lunarian suspiciously.

"Well, I have a suggestion myself for names. How about one of you girls suggest it for me?" Eirin smiled mischievously.

"Why not give it yourself?" Reimu countered.

"Meh, I'll take credit fer it, sure da ze~" Marisa agreed cheerfully, getting up from the floor. Eirin leaned over and whispered into Marisa's ears.

"Oi! I have a suggestion!" Marisa waved her hand up energetically.

* * *

"Okay then~! We'll call you when we get on stage Tai-kun~" Lyrica waved.

"This is gonna be fun~" Merlin giggled.

"Don't go too far Tai-kun." Lunasa bowed.

The three ghostly musicians flew off, eating some more. Tai shook his head, smiling expectantly. He never imagined joining a band again.

It should be rather nostalgic.

Tai decided to walk back towards Reimu and Marisa, but he was stopped.

"Tai-san? Would you please come with me. Yukari-sama wishes to talk to you." Ran politely requested, stepping in front of him.

Tai blinked at her and shrugged. "Okay."

Tai went off towards Yukari, who was also speaking with Yuyuko, Youmu, Chen, and…

"…Hello Kazami Yuuka-san." Tai politely said.

Tai vaguely noticed how many people seemed to glance over at the green-haired woman who was smiling pleasantly at him. The article on her spread like wildfire all over Gensokyo, a testament to the speed of the tengu's information network. So everyone was aware of how she seemed to equal Yakumo Yukari.

Frankly, he was still amazed at how these two women in front him, who were now chatting amicably about the moon and its legends, were able to survive a nuclear bomb at point-blank.

It's not something he thought he would ever see again.

"Oh? This is the human who is now staying with the Hakurei miko?" Yuuka tilted her head, looking curiously at Tai.

"You were rather amazing in that fight Yuuka-san. I hope your garden is doing well however. If at all possible, I would have liked to visit." Tai easily conversed.

"…Ho? How daring of you. You are aware of my power and yet you still dare say you'll visit to my face." Yuuka never let go of her pleasant smile. It made her seem angelic, as delicate as the flowers she seemed to care for.

"Do I not have your permission?" Tai blinked at her.

"Hmm…Well, you are the first one to ever ask for permission…" Yuuka glanced at the tense Yakumo Ran, who tried her hardest to seem neutral.

"Now, now Yuuka-san, we have already shown that it was your impulsiveness at fault here~" Yukari lightly interjected, daintily eating a cake. Yuyuko smiled as she watched the scene, but she kept still. She was ready for anything. Youmu was more obvious, watching Yuuka warily with her hand to her blades.

The two titans of Gensokyo's youkai looked at each other closely, their smiles failing to hide the faint bloodlust between them.

Chen and Ran watched, perturbed.

"Ran-sama…" Chen seemed to hide behind her mistress, looking very worried.

"Don't worry Chen…I don't believe Yukari-sama will allow such a fight to occur here of all places…" Ran muttered.

"What kind of cake is that Yukari-san?" Tai questioned, looking curiously at her plate. It has a light, white frosting and three layers, with glazed jelly covering various kinds of fruits. Curiously enough, it was also layered with a light cover of chocolate. Tai wondered about the taste.

Yuuka and Yukari blinked, their staring contest broken. Yukari turned to Tai, amused, and said, "Ah, the maid mentioned something about being a special recipe from her home country. It is rather good, if a tad too sweet."

Yuuka nodded. "Indeed, they let the fruit ripen too much, and dashed a tad too much fruit juice into their filling. It's enough to make your teeth writhe as they seem to rot just from contact." Yuuka did not know how to hold back on her comments.

Sakuya, smiling elegantly on stage, twitched. It felt like she was being harshly critiqued somewhere.

"I suppose it is just Sakuya-san being mindful of her mistress's tastes. Remilia-san seems to have quite the sweet tooth." Tai nodded.

"Is that so~? So the appearance reflects much more than just the figure of a child…" Yukari giggled, eating another piece of the cake.

"I never understood why humans liked sugar so much that they would risk their health on it. Reimu would have gotten fat on sweets if the youkai weren't kind enough to make her get to work." Yuuka smirked slightly, taking a swig of her wine.

"Sweet things are good though~ Tasting sweetness is proof that you're still alive~" Yuyuko cheerfully replied, relaxing. Youmu relaxed, letting out an audible sigh. Myon flew more quickly around her, the only sign of her agitation. Ran and Chen also sighed, surreptitiously hiding ofuda in their sleeves.

"Aren't you already dead?" Yuuka raised an eyebrow, looking at the ghost princess incredulously. Yuyuko giggled.

Everyone else around them blinked at the four.

"Hmph. Well, your fearlessness is interesting at the very least. Very well, if you wish to visit my Garden of the Sun, you may come. If you decide to harm it however…" Yuuka never stopped smiling at Tai, but everyone else never felt so much menace.

Tai looked at Yuuka, aghast.

"Yuuka-san, if I ever decide to harm a wonder of nature such as your garden, I would drown myself in the Sanzu River for even thinking such." Tai strongly said, his eyes widening with resolve.

Yuuka blinked at that, taken aback. She shook her head and smiled again, and the menace was gone. "Well then, I'm thankful on how convenient your punishment will be."

Tai nodded.

Yukari and Yuyuko giggled.

Youmu, Chen, and Ran sweatdropped. What a weird human, they thought.

* * *

"So you needed me for something Yukari-san?" Tai asked, now eating his own slice of the cake. It really was very sweet.

"Ah yes. Please walk with me Tai-san~" Yukari somehow moved her gap towards the hallways. Yuuka didn't really care, now focusing her attention on Remilia. Yuyuko casually followed after them, then standing in front of the door, watching the party. Ran, Chen, and Youmu looked at each other for a bit before shrugging, going towards the banquet table. They started eating, but they also took watch around the party.

Tai followed Yukari, taking a swig of his wine. He was rather curious what someone like Yukari would need of him.

They walked, or rather, he walked and Yukari floated down the hallway.

"Hmm~ Well, this place should be good~" They stopped next to a window. It was not a lighted area, so only the moonlight streamed into the hallway.

For a while, Yukari just gazed up at the moon, her face hidden behind a fan. Tai waited patiently, eating bits of his cake.

Yukari seemed much more solemn under the moonlight. Her golden hair fell from under her hat like a waterfall, gently falling over her shoulder. Her gloved hands were very slender, and the nape of her neck was smooth as marble. She was a very picturesque portrait of the female form. A very beautiful human.

Tai blinked at that. Huh. He almost forgot that Yukari was a youkai. The only indication of her youkai blood was the glowing red eyes that were reflecting the moon.

Tai wondered about that. How youkai looked so much like humans. They ate humanity, they were stronger than humanity, they had strange powers that elevated them so far above humanity that it seemed like a bad joke.

But they looked like humanity. And despite their great strength, they retreated into an isolated world like Gensokyo to escape humanity.

Tai wondered how youkai truly saw humanity. The fact that even man-eating youkai could still want to live with humans indicated something much more than a predator-prey relationship.

Tai wondered how humanity saw youkai. They were so inexplicable, so incredible, so terrible. They were just so naturally powerful, and if the youkai he met were any indication, just so much more beautiful.

…Wasn't he human? Why is he asking himself that?

Ah, yes. Because he only really knew what he knew. He didn't want to assume any more than that.

Tai finished his cake. Yukari closed her fan and turned towards him.

"So Tai-san, I have an offer you would not want to refuse…"

* * *

"So, since I named the rocket, I get ta go, right?" Marisa smiled excitedly.

The larger party ended just a few hours ago. Reimu started worrying about where Tai seemed to be when Youmu came up to her and told her he was speaking with Yukari. Alone.

Naturally, that made her even more worried and she started going towards the door. But then Chen pulled her over and started making her drink some more. Reimu tried to protest but Marisa, seeing what was happening, joined in and shoved the bottle into Reimu's mouth.

Reimu spent too much time scolding the nekomata and trying to beat up Marisa. By the time she realized it, Tai was already back with Yukari.

"What happened? What did she want?" Reimu asked him suspiciously.

"Oh, she just told me about some sights I could see." Tai smiled back at her in his usual style.

Reimu tried wheedling more information, but the Prismriver Sisters called him up to the stage…

* * *

_Tai joined in, standing next to Merlin. The three poltergeists grabbed each other's hands and concentrated for a bit, and right before Tai, a ghostly drum set seemed to appear. He grabbed a chair and took a seat as the guests all watched expectantly. He closed his eyes and tried to remember another song he used to listen to. He felt like it would fit Flandre quite well._

"_Hello Gensokyo~ I hope you didn't forget, but if you did, shame on you all~" Merlin giggled, winking at their audience._

"_If you did forget, we're gonna make sure you never will again after this Prismriver Performance~ We're going to burn the music into your soul so hard, you won't forget no matter how hard you try~" Lyrica laughed uproariously, saying some rather outrageous things._

"_So do be gentle on us, and listen with open minds~ Here we are again with our honorary Prismriver Brother, Tai-san of the Hakurei Shrine~" Lunasa announced, gesturing grandly towards Tai._

_The hall applauded, Marisa and Flandre cheering loudly over them all. Reimu sighed, clapping absentmindedly. Did he think she won't question him further by escaping her for a few minutes?_

_If so, he was probably right. Already, Reimu felt herself become lazier towards that. Her instincts weren't flaring up, so she felt like just letting it go._

_She was going to make sure to lecture him about going with strange youkai like Yukari alone though. Honestly, does the man have no sense of self-preservation?_

_Tai opened his eyes. His eyes seemed blank again. He smiled and said. "This song is dedicated to a great friend here in Gensokyo. Remember Flandre-chan, look at me for this song."_

_Flandre spluttered, blushing furiously as Tai just bluntly declared it. The Prismriver Sisters giggled wildly at that, blushing themselves._

"_What." Remilia flatly stated. She began twitching. Was it more than just a friendship? Seriously? If it was, someone was gonna die tonight, she promised in her heart as she made strangling motions against Tai. Sakuya and Patchouli sweatdropped. Meiling was glowing joyfully._

"_They have such a good relationship~" Meiling sighed happily, gently cupping her face like a proud mother. Remilia twitched at that some more._

"_Oho?" Reimu muttered, her own eyebrows twitching. Marisa just laughed at Flandre's face. Mimi-chan was confused by the gossip going around the hall. Was it really that weird for a human to look at someone else? Mimi-chan promised to herself to focus on updating her psychology and sociology archives some more._

_Tai let the drumsticks touch the drums and closed his eyes again. Now then, how did he do this last time…?_

_**~Flandre's Theme: U.N. Owen was Her? by ZUN~**_

_Tai fed his memories of the song to the Prismriver Sisters again. They seemed to snap at attention, taking their playing positions._

_Lyrica quickly played. It was a fast-paced beat that made one feel breathless, the drums being quick, insistent. Instead of guiding the beat, Tai seemed to be pushing it._

_Then they slowed down, only to let Lyrica come in. She played the chords insistently, going up and down, acting like a mood swing. Merlin joined afterwards, and she created discord. As Lyrica and Lunasa played the beat, fast, furious, chaotic, going up and down without paying any heed to each other, Merlin emphasized the kind of disturbance the song inherently had._

_It sounded like a tantrum. It sounded like a storm of impulses._

_The pitch, the tone, it sped up, it was rushed, it was insistent, it was…_

_Then it became angry. Merlin, Lyrica, and Lunasa's eyes flared red as they let the song overtake them. Tai was not pushing anymore, he was shoving the song forward. They made it energetic, frazzled, so powerfully mobile. It sounded like a child that cannot stop moving, cannot stop feeling, a storm, a violent tantrum._

_Dangerous, wild. Flandre felt inflamed. Her eyes widened red. Her blush, long gone, came back. But it wasn't an embarrassed blush. It seemed more flushed. More ecstatic._

_She started laughing. It was the kind of laugh that Reimu and Marisa encountered before, that chilled their spine._

_She sounded hysterical. She flew above, dancing wildly, graceless, powerfully. She giggled, she squealed, she roared, she laughed happily, insanely. She felt so…Alive._

_The light of the hall disappeared. Reimu looked at Yukari in an instant, and watched as Yukari pulled back her arm, closing her face with her fan again. Remilia, her own blood pumping, her eyes flashing red, gripped her arm tightly. She looked wide-eyed at that song. Sakuya, Meiling, and Patchouli found themselves wound up tightly, prepared to react as necessary._

_The moonlight shined down on Flandre, her crystal wings glittering brightly. Her red eyes were the only ones in the hall, and they trembled. She wanted to look everywhere, she wanted to see everywhere, she wanted to break everything! Her blood trembled with excitement! She, a creature so attuned to her blood, could not resist its siren call, its base nature!_

_She wanted to 'kyuu' the world!_

_But…_

_She promised. So she looked at Tai in the eyes, and he looked back. He smiled at her. It was the first smile anybody ever saw on him. He looked mad. Thrilled. Excited. Angry._

_He drove the music on._

_It became more and more frenetic. The Prismriver Sisters became more frantic, and at that point, trembling with excitement, Tai took out his spell card. It shined blue, and that ensemble flew._

_The Prismriver Sisters, Tai, and Flandre danced under the moonlight. They all had wide smiles, their bodies electrified by the song. The tune became wilder, louder, angrier. Moodswings, tantrums, storms, they did not dance, they only MOVED._

_Flandre laughed joyously. She never felt so alive! She never felt so wild! And yet…_

_She kept looking at Tai, and Tai kept looking at her._

_She was a vampire. She was also Flandre. Flandre Scarlet, the Little Sister of the Scarlet Devil, with the power to shatter the world apart. She wielded an insane power. She should have been rejected by the world, and rightly so for being such a menace._

_But…_

_She trembled with anger, with excitement, with bloodlust. But she kept looking at Tai._

_She could control it. She could herself. Even at the very height of everything she was, of her vampirism, of her destructive power, of her lunacy, she could control it. She learned to after all. She wanted to after all._

_She was in control! If she did not want to destroy, she won't! So she reined everything in._

_They danced to that lunatic song. They laughed at it, they reveled in it. It drove them forward, at times against their will. But they will control that journey with a flourish!_

_It should be only their right after all. It should only be her right after all._

_She was not just the Little Sister of the Scarlet Devil! She was a Scarlet Devil herself!_

_What was it that stupid fairy said…_

_That fairy might be idiotic, careless, and entirely oblivious, but even she could say some good words!_

_She was Flandre Scarlet! And with her control over her powers…_

_She was the strongest!_

_The song finished, and they all took deep breaths. Even the youkai who didn't need it. Their eyes, no longer glowing crimson, nevertheless looked wild with energy._

_Flandre put it best._

"_That was awesome!"_

_The party, no longer tensed, conceded that point and applauded loudly. The Prismriver Sisters played up the attention as only true performers could._

_Flandre and Tai never stopped looking at each other. Flandre smiled understandingly._

"_You really should warn people first, onii-chan."_

_Tai smiled proudly. "Maybe."_

* * *

What was that? Reimu wondered, drinking some tea. How did Tai influence another youkai so much? Was it the power of that song?

Honestly, what kind of Outside songs were made? Reimu grumbled. She made sure to tell him not to play songs that seemed to enrage youkai. Tai blinked at her and easily agreed.

Reimu really should have been more aware.

"Yes, yes, black-white, you can come. I guess we can always use another magical battery…" Remilia muttered, glancing occasionally at Tai. She did not know what to think about what just happened.

She also promised herself to look into Tai and Flandre's 'friendship'. She felt her sisterly instincts fuel a new kind of paranoia.

"Sigh…Even black-white is going…Will you bring back a souvenir at least…?" Flandre whined, laying her head down on her shoulders. She slumped down on the table, rather tired from that song.

"Sure Flan-chan~ I'll bring back one of those moon rabbits fer ya~" Marisa jokingly stated.

"I suppose I will watch over the shrine for a while then." Tai mentioned to Reimu.

Reimu blinked at him.

"…Oh right, you won't be coming…I'm sorry for just leaving you alone Tai." Reimu apologized. She worried about what will happen with her shrine. A youkai nest? Back to back parties?

She really hoped it didn't shatter. Again.


	15. The Second Lunar War Part Five

"…_Look out on that beautiful, blue and green world. From this far away, you cannot see the red it is so steeped in…Here, in the ocean closest to the Earth, it's amazing how fragile a defense distance can be between that impure world and our pure Moon." A woman with a lustrous deeply bluish-purple hair that reached her ankles, a pure white hat, and a conservative but very tasteful long-sleeved dress spoke into the air, grabbing on to that hat to keep it from flying from the sourceless wind._

"…_Here you are, my sister." A sharp but warm voice spoke from behind._

_That woman, looking up at the Earth, smiled but did not look back. She had no need to after all. She knew exactly who that was._

"_Sigh…The rabbits are now on full alert, and I have them training as much as possible. With all the uncertain rumors within the Capital, we can only truly trust in Yagokoro-sensei's words." A woman with the same kind of lustrous hair tied in a ponytail by a large yellow ribbon continued. She wore the same kind of dress except it was short-sleeved._

_That same woman sighed deeply, looking up at the Earth also._

"_We don't have many veterans from the last war. We will have to depend on our own powers to repel the threat if need be…"_

"_Yes. How I do miss Reisen, but I have high hopes for our new Reisen. She will be able to fill the hole Reisen left in the forces."_

_Another silence. They continued looking at that blue-green Earth, encompassed by the calm of the Sea of Tranquility._

"_Sister, should you not train with the rabbits…?"_

"_Hmm…You are able to summon divine spirits into your body, while I am able to link the mountains and the sea. Bearing this in mind, Yagokoro-sama has planned for us to act independently. And Yagokoro-sama's plan is infallible."_

_The woman with the hat turned towards her dear sister, smiling brightly._

"_So until you or the rabbits need to move, or something from the Earth comes soon…I have nothing to do~!"_

_Another silence. This one was laced with some exasperation._

"_My sister…"_

* * *

"…And so you will dislodge that seal which will undone the matrix, releasing the bonds between the tertiary and the secondary layer, after which you should…" Patchouli explained.

"Oi, I won't remember all of this right now." Reimu interrupted, exasperated.

"Already giving up Reimu~? Ahahaha~" Marisa laughed, sitting once more on the donation box.

Reimu, Marisa, Mimi-chan, Patchouli, and Sakuya were outside the Hakurei Shrine. Within the shrine, Tai and Yu-Reimu continued to snooze, with Yu-Reimu managing to get into Tai's room, sleeping on his face.

Considering Yu-Reimu was kind enough not to suffocate its pillow, somehow, this was more comfortable than expected.

"I could record this conversation and create a CD for Reimu to play during the flight?" Mimi-chan offered.

"What's a CD?" Reimu and Marisa questioned, looking at Mimi-chan with raised eyebrows.

Mimi-chan sighed deeply. She already missed having at least one person able to understand her.

"Well, I will be lending a grimoire with the set of procedures, but you must still listen closely to understand the crucial nuances of…" Patchouli continued, sighing.

"Reimu can't read grimoires." Marisa quickly responded.

"Yeah, I don't read that kind of stuff." Reimu agreed, sipping her tea.

Patchouli pinched the bridge of her nose a bit as Sakuya laughed weakly.

"Why don't I just listen to your instructions when we actually fly?" Reimu asked boredly.

"Oh, I will not be coming." Patchouli admitted.

"Oh? The one who made the Scarlet Rocket ain't comin'?" Marisa said, shocked.

"I will be helping with the magic in order to guide you towards the moon. Even the rockets on the Outside World need a navigator to stay behind to help." Patchouli explained.

"That's true mistress." Mimi-chan agreed.

"Well, I suppose I will leave some notes on the margin for Sakuya to read…" Patchouli sighed.

"Ya can always lend the book ta me yanno~?" Marisa eagerly offered.

"No." Patchouli weakly glared at the laughing witch.

"Well, I suppose that will be all then." Sakuya clapped her hands, and Patchouli nodded. Sakuya bowed towards Reimu and then Patchouli and Sakuya flew off towards the mansion.

"…I suppose everyone's tension is high, considering she decided to leave her library to come here." Reimu commented, biting into a mandarin slice.

"Ahahaha~ Aren't ya excited yerself Reimu? I know I am." Marisa laughed, tossing up a mandarin slice herself and catching it with her mouth.

"Mistress and Reimu are so lucky that they will be exploring the moon soon! I hope mistress remembers to bring some rock samples~" Mimi-chan excitedly added.

"I'll definitely try Mimi-chan~ I can probably borrow a lot of interesting things up there da ze~" Marisa nodded, kicking out excitedly from her seat.

Reimu shook her head, smiling slightly. She should probably plan to bring some souvenirs back herself.

"Just one day left until launch…"

* * *

Tai awoke. He yawned drowsily and picked up Yu-Reimu. He was about to put her on his pillow when she yawned herself, waking up.

"Yu~…Yu~…" She called out sleepily.

"Time to awake little one." Tai whispered, smiling fondly.

He got up and walked towards the kitchen, carrying Yu-Reimu in his arms. He sat before the table and poured himself and the yukkuri some tea then laid down Yu-Reimu next to her cup.

As Yu-Reimu roused herself by licking up her tea, he took a sip, letting the warmth seep in to his entire body as he looked outside.

"Good morning."

"Good morning to yourself Tai-san~"

Tai reflexively greeted as he saw Yukari sitting down on the veranda. The youkai was actually physically in the shrine, a first for him. He finished his tea and went forth to fix breakfast for himself and Yu-Reimu while preparing something for the guest.

"What would you like for tea, Yukari-san? We have barley and green tea."

"Green please~ And perhaps some of the mochi Reimu is hiding in the back of the third drawer at the upper-right~?" Yukari smiled teasingly into the air, just taking in the view of the grounds.

"Alright. Though when she asks, I will blame you." Tai grinned.

"Ahahaha, well, if it will let me enjoy those sweets, certainly~" Yukari laughed.

Tai set out his and Yu-Reimu's breakfast on the table. He grabbed his bowl of miso soup as he brought the other platter towards Yukari.

It seemed like he became stronger before he realized. His arms were not straining as much before, though the snack platter was not really that heavy. His work with his vegetable garden, he supposed. He could not help but feel a little happy about that incremental but marked improvement.

He kneeled down and laid the platter next to Yukari, who nodded in thanks and observed two filled cups on the platter. She deftly grabbed her cup, sipping it. She sighed in pleasure as the warmth fought back the cold of the creeping winter winds.

Tai grabbed his miso soup and drank it as he sat next to Yukari.

They didn't say anything for a while, just watching the Hakurei Shrine. Tai was sad to see the bare trees all around. It was quite the depressing sight. He realized that it was only part of the natural order of life, but it was still a rather melancholic experience each year.

"Reimu said that she, Marisa, and Mimi-chan are going to the Scarlet Devil Mansion to see how the preparations were going. I'm glad to see that Reimu's training is already being put to use~ Who knew that lazy girl would realize to use the Sumiyoshi trio to power that awkward rocket~" Yukari giggled, daintily biting into mochi. It was a rather impressive sight.

"It was all thanks to Konpaku Youmu's mistress, a Saigyouji Yuyuko-san? She seems to be your friend, Yukari-san. She was the one who gave the idea to us after all." Tai replied mildly. He grabbed a mochi himself. Might as well, Yukari already accepted all the blame for it.

"Is that so~?" Yukari smiled.

"That is so." Tai smiled back.

The two didn't say anything for a while. Yukari set down her cup and let Tai pour her another cup, and he finished his miso and started sipping his own cup.

"What did you think of my offer? I was surprised that you would not be as interested as I thought you would be but…" Yukari suddenly brought up.

"Hmm…If it is as you describe, then this should be interesting." Tai shrugged.

"Oh~? Should I take that as you accepting~?" Yukari asked, eating another mochi.

"Of course." Tai nodded.

"That's great then~ You can do whatever you want, but please try to make it to that one location I described." Yukari smiled at Tai.

"Very well. That's a meager price for quite a trip." Tai grinned back.

"Is it? Price is rather relative Tai-san. As we go through life, through own senses, we define what anything and everything is worth to us. Considering how different we all are to each other, what things are worth will be so much more different for me than it would be for you." Yukari swirled her tea, looking into the brew contemplatively.

"Indeed. We invest ourselves in different things. You could say what is worth the most to ourselves define us as people." Tai agreed, sipping tea.

"Then, Yukari-san, how much is eating Reimu's mochi worth to you?" Tai smiled teasingly at the Youkai Sage.

Yukari giggled.

"Quite priceless, I feel." She replied. Her smile seemed rather soft at that moment.

Tai nodded, his smile smaller but warmer.

"I feel the same."

* * *

The next day, the whole group flew into the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Tai rode on Mimi-chan that day, and he lied on his back, looking at the sky.

"The moon, huh…" He mused.

"Yep~ Can ya believe we'll be flying there soon~? Man, I want to see what kinda place cooked up those moon people~" Marisa laughed, flying next to Reimu, who was flying in the center.

"Whuuuuuu~ Remember to bring souvenirs Reimu-chan." Genji yawned out. As much as he felt sleepy during the winter, he didn't want to miss this launch.

"Hai, hai." Reimu nodded, Yu-Reimu laughing happily in her arms, as she sat on Genji's back. She felt lazy that day and decided to ride Genji again.

She had to admit, it was rather nostalgic. She smiled at those childhood memories.

Then she grimaced at those childhood memories.

Yes, well, children would be normally scared of heights, right? Though she quickly got over it.

"You will have to watch the shrine by yourself Tai." Reimu reminded.

"Hai." Tai nodded.

"There's no need to sweep the shrine grounds every day. Just every couple of days. I don't want you overworking yourself."

"Hai."

"Don't use your spell card unless Flandre is nearby. Seriously. I mean it. We won't be here to catch you if you fall."

"Don't worry, don't worry."

"Honestly! Worry more! At the very least it would make me feel better." Reimu huffed.

"Yeah Dad! Listen to Mom, she's only worried about ya yanno?" Marisa giggled.

"Tai and Reimu are mom and dad?! When did they procreate?! Mistress, how long was I in Sleep Mode?!" Mimi-chan gasped, shocked.

"And if Suika tries to pull another party in the shrine, take her gourd and throw it off the grounds. Don't worry, she won't attack you. She'll probably forget all about it once she gets her gourd back." Reimu continued, ignoring Marisa and Mimi-chan's growing, wild gossip.

"Hai…?"

"And if any donators come by, tell them we offer blessings of business prosperity. That should reel them in." Reimu smirked.

"Technically, the shrine could if you negotiate with an actual kami of prosperity." Tai pointed out.

"…Hmm…" Reimu thought on that.

"Reimu-chan, shrines aren't meant to earn money you know. They are made to guide the worshippers in the right direction. And as Hakurei, the shrine is a way for the humans to ask for help when the youkai act up." Genji admonished.

"How do you think we get the money to pay for your seaweed meals Genji-ojiichan? There are no oceans in Gensokyo after all." Reimu deadpanned.

Genji sweatdropped profusely.

"…Indeed! If you want a kami of prosperity, you could try…"

Tai shook his head, smiling slightly as an air of corruption began to grow to his left.

"I'll do my best to watch the shrine while I'm there." Tai affirmed.

"Yeah. Thanks, I'm sorry if I'm being too worried." Reimu sighed.

"That's fine, don't worry, don't worry."

"…And they had a second daughter named Mini Mari who looks just like me!"

"Wait, mistress, that makes no sense…"

* * *

"Ooh, nice carpet!"

Marisa praised, walking into the Voile. Tai looked around the library, seeing a long stretch of red carpeting that led from the hall, into the door, then past the Scarlet Rocket.

Three fairy maids, Sakuya, Remilia, Patchouli, and Koakuma were already there. Remilia raised a cup in acknowledgement as Sakuya and Koakuma smiled and bowed towards them.

"Onii-chan~"

Flandre jumped on his back from behind. Tai slipped back his collar a bit and let the girl bite on him. As she finished her drinking, Tai walked forward with the rest of his party.

"Is there any reason for the red carpet?"

"Apparently rockets will fly better if launched from a red carpet. I am merely following what I have read." Patchouli answered, shrugging.

"Oh? Were you not giving me the red carpet treatment as I entered? I thought it was a celebratory gesture." Remilia smirked at the witch.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. So, are we ready?" Reimu cut in impatiently. She slightly fidgeted, the only sign of her excitement.

"Hai, hai. The Scarlet Rocket merely needs a few more adjustments, and then we can begin the boarding process." Patchouli nodded, closing her book and flying towards the top of the rocket. She paused near the top, looking weirdly at the tip, before shaking her head and chanting, the seals on the rocket glowing.

"Man, it's as small as I remember. Will all four of us really fit here?" Marisa asked, looking around the third stage.

"Four? We will be a party of seven." Sakuya tilted her head, confused.

"What? Who else is coming?" Marisa widened her eyes.

As Sakuya and Remilia explained that the fairy maids were needed, Flandre sighed as she took a seat on Tai's lap, putting up her elbow on the table. She looked rather bored.

"Well, onee-sama and Sakuya will be gone for a while, and they're gonna have an adventure on the moon. How unfair…" Flandre muttered.

"There there. If you really want to fly to the moon too, just get Patchouli to build you another rocket. You are the second mistress of the mansion, Flandre-chan." Tai answered, smiling down on the pouting girl.

"Huh…You're right! I will definitely make Patchy build me an even better rocket! In red! And yellow!" Flandre's eyes brightened. She laughed and snatched a lot of the snacks, surprising Remilia.

"Hey, wait, Flan, don't eat it all!"

The two sisters started bickering as Mimi-chan and Tai shared a look.

"Another fake Mimi-chan…? Really?" Mimi-chan asked, sounding constipated.

"You can help design the next one." Tai whispered.

Mimi-chan paused at that. She started nodding really fast.

"Yeah, that's a good idea! I can teach Knowledge-san how to actually build a rocket!"

"So Reimu-chan is going to go to the moon in this thing…" Genji mused, flying lazily around the rocket. "Miko-chan would have been so jealous…"

"…And there! We're done. Reimu-san, how is it? Are the Sumiyoshi trio pleased?" Patchouli huffed, wiping away some sweat from her brow.

"Yep. They say we should get this show on the road." Reimu answered, settling into the inside of the ship.

"Ahahahaha~ Oh man, this is so exciting da ze~ This is one small step for Gensokyo, one giant incident for the Moon! Whooo!" Marisa cheered, playfully tossing her hat up in the air.

"Ahahaha, try not to upset people too much." Tai laughed.

"Yeah, don't be a bother to the moon people now!" Flandre agreed.

Everyone else looked at the two, making some complicated expressions.

"There's no persuasive power from that, coming from you two." Reimu muttered.

"Koakuma, how are the readings?" Patchouli asked, flying back to the table.

"Umm…Yeah! It's all good!" Koakuma reported, looking at a shining grimoire.

"Alright then. Everyone, start boarding. Well, some of you already have… Remi, Sakuya, good luck and have fun." Patchouli smiled at the two.

"Bring back souvenirs onee-sama, Sakuya!" Flandre happily demanded, waving energetically.

"Remember to relax and have fun Reimu-chan!" Genji waved a flipper.

"Don't die from reentry! And try not to crash!" Mimi-chan cheered.

"Ufufufufufu~ When we come back, we will be the new rulers of the moon! Take that, Yakumo Yukari!" Remilia proudly declared as the rest of the crew waved their farewells.

"Tell Meiling to remember to eat, okay Koa-chan?!" Sakuya called out.

"I will, don't worry!"

"Remember Tai, take care of the shrine and don't fly by yourself, okay?! Genji-ojiichan, try to watch the shrine too, okay?!"

"I won't, don't worry, don't worry!"

"Whuuuuuuu~ Okay, I'll try Reimu-chan!"

"Mimi-chan, have fun with the kappa! Tell Nitori to go as crazy as she wants with ya!"

"Hai, hai!"

"And that will be all." The door to the Scarlet Rocket closed, and chains appear all over the rocket. Tai noticed Yu-Reimu jumping in surreptitiously as the door closed. Patchouli locked them in, and flew back. She chanted a few more, and Reimu settled back into seiza, her form glowing white with divine might.

The rocket, glowing, began to move.

"Huh…How will the rocket get out?" Mimi-chan suddenly wondered.

The roof of the Voile suddenly started opening to the outside, the moon high and proud in the sky. The Scarlet Rocket glowed even brighter until it looked like it was blazing white, and then it launched. The rest of the party back in the Voile watched as the rocket flew, quick and true, the tip of the rocket pointed directly at the moon.

"Not bad. They didn't explode from launch. It can only go up from here." Patchouli nodded, satisfied.

Mimi-chan spluttered, Genji flipper-palmed, and Koakuma laughed uneasily.

Tai raised an eyebrow as Flandre laughed. As he watched that rocket fly away, he noticed a raven watching the rocket. It cawed softly, then flew away.

* * *

Tai returned to the Hakurei Shrine after a day of hanging out with Flandre. They spent most of the time playing hide and seek all over the mansion with the Fairy Maids. With Sakuya and Remilia gone, there area for the game expanded greatly. Tai managed to explore a lot more of the mansion than before.

_Tai found a curious room during that time. It was very large, with a height that was three times his height. It was empty, except for a very large portrait._

_He spent a few minutes admiring the portrait. It was a picture of two little girls, hugging each other happily as they sat on a patch of grass. Two other people, a blue-haired man and a blond-haired woman, stood next to them, smiling peacefully as they stood in front of a castle._

_Tai left the room soon after, making note of it in his mental map._

"Alright then~ Don't be a stranger Tai~! If you need to talk to me, I'll be with the Kappa~" Mimi-chan cheerfully stated, nuzzling him gently. The friendly warhead turned around and then flew towards Youkai Mountain, as Tai and Genji waved. Genji yawned a bit.

"I'll be turning in young'un. I can't keep up with you kids now these days…" The turtle youkai sleepily mumbled.

"Alright Genji-san. Dinner will be ready in a few hours." Tai nodded.

The turtle drifted off into the gardens, leaving Tai alone. Tai, humming, went into the shrine. He checked the cupboards, the dishes, the refrigerator, the rooms, and was happy to see that everything was in order.

"Alright then…Fridge Unit: Nunu, Owner: Tai, inputting the following commands…"

Tai input a few manual commands that would make the robot deliver food to Morichika Rinnosuke, come back to the shrine, then enter Protective Mode. Tai figured the man would appreciate the gesture. And if he didn't, well, he wouldn't be able to refuse anyways. He took in enough food to last him a few days, then he closed the fridge. The fridge transformed, saluted, then lifted the chair generator as it walked towards Kourindou.

Tai watched the robot go bemusedly. Never in his life did he ever think he would be seeing such a sight, let alone be so deeply involved with it.

"Hmm~? Is everything in order? If it isn't, I'm sure Chen would be able to help."

Tai blinked as he turned around. A gap formed silently behind him, and the smiling face of Yakumo Yukari greeted him. Uncomfortably close, he noted as he stepped back a bit.

"No need, everything is in order. I have left a note for Chen-chan on Nunu on the chores, so when Nunu comes back, she knows what to do while we're gone. And Genji-san is very particular about his meals, so I listed those recipes too." Tai nodded.

"Alright then~ I will be sure to tell Chen about that~" Yukari giggled.

"Please tell her that I appreciate her willingness to housesit." Tai reminded.

"Of course. Though it is rather curious how you were so willing to trust the shrine to a youkai." Yukari tilted her head to the side, questioningly.

Tai blinked before shrugging.

"Chen-chan is trustworthy, I believe."

Yukai giggled. "You are a very weird human."

"I make a weird friend." Tai smiled.

Yukari laughed. She clapped her hands once, and looked at Tai, smiling brightly.

"So, ready to go? Your method of travel will be much faster than Reimu-chan, but try not to be seen by them."

"Of course, of course."

"You know where to go?"

"Yes."

"Alright then. All you really need to do is focus on the moon, then will yourself to go towards it. The veil will do the rest."

Tai looked at the moon. In the peaceful, natural setting of Gensokyo, without the lights of the cities, the sky has always been a brilliant portrait of celestial bodies. The galaxy bared open to his eyes, the swirl of stars and galaxies so far away but entirely larger than life than even his weak, human eyes could still see it.

And up in the sky is the Moon. The eternal watch guard of the Earth, silent, vigilant. On that small sphere of celestial rock, shining the light borrowed from the sun, are the dreams of an entire planet, human or otherwise.

Tai was less than impressed. Though mentions of the Lunar Capital did pique his interest.

He might as well. He can easily get back, after all.

"Ittekimasu."

"Itterasshai~"

Tai closed his eyes, holding on to his hard hat. His kimono started to float to an ethereal wind, and the seals on his new clothes glowed brightly. As the moonlight fell on his form, his body began to glow with lunar light.

Yukari watched expectantly, as Tai opened his eyes. Focusing entirely on that moon, his clothes shined with white light.

Then Tai was gone.

* * *

"…**?"**

"**What seems to be the matter? *Crunch, crunch*"**

"**Did you finally realize that there is a world outside of your bed?"**

"**Shut up. I saw something."**

"**Did you? What? Where? I'll head there as soon as I can."**

"…**I don't really know what I saw."**

"**You don't? Did you become senile?"**

"**You really are trying to pick a fight, aren't you…"**

"**Whoo! More treasure! Man, these humans throw more valuables into the ocean than YOU actually eat, ufufu~"**

"**My now, don't be so crass as to pick on the eating habits of a lady~"**

"**Hmm~? What's going on~? You saw something fun~?"**

"**Hmm…I don't really know. But I saw something in the space between the Moon and the Earth."**

"…**Yeah. We call them satellites."**

"**I know what satellites look like, bitch!"**

"**Then it's a space shuttle, fool."**

"***Crash, thud, boom*"**

"**Hey, hey~! Tell me first before you fight~! That's an order, tehe~"**

"***Pant pant* I…It was small. Looked like a human. Flying in space."**

"…**Yeah. Astronauts."**

"**IT IS NOT…Feh. Whatever. It wasn't wearing a space suit, so I'm wondering how they managed that."**

"**Huh? Wow, that must have been one expensive NASA experiment."**

"**I'll keep my 'Eye' out for more info. Stupid hat, couldn't see the face…What kind of moron wears a hard hat in space anyways?"**


	16. The Second Lunar War Part Six

Tai didn't really know what to expect from the ride. Maybe he would be blinded by a flash of light and then suddenly appear on top of the moon? Perhaps it would give him enough flight power to go through and survive space?

It certainly wasn't the following.

"_And that is why Hephaestus Brand Ironworks is the best! Get top quality kitchen knives that will cut through that stubborn steak like Hercules cuts with a hot blade through butter!"_

An elevator-like ride. With advertisements.

It felt like he was being gently raised through the sky, but he could see how fast he was moving. He was patiently standing, letting the advertisements and the elevator songs fill in the silence. He looked around the area, feeling like he was standing on solid ground despite flying in mid-air. The view was magnificent, with the forest rapidly becoming an ocean of green, and the clouds being pierced around him.

He looked up and saw the Moon come closer. It was a familiar sight. The moon was as gray and lifeless as he remembered. He must not be near enough yet to be within the 'Veil' of the Lunar Capital.

He blinked.

He watched as the glowing dot of the Scarlet Rocket came closer to him. He was quickly gaining on it and then passed it a few minutes later. He had a strange moment when it felt like time froze, as he stared into the windows of the rocket, curious, and a fairy maid stared back.

Then the moment was gone, and he was moving up again. He looked at his feet, watching the Scarlet Rocket disappear from sight.

Tai shook his head, amused. That will be a story for later.

* * *

_The fairy maid blinked, and then shook her head. She thought she just saw a shooting star. Going upwards…_

"_Umm, I think I'm going to sit for a bit…" She muttered to her fellow maids. Ignoring their curious looks, she sat down and rubbed her eyes._

_She must be tired._

* * *

"_When you just feel the need to be more beautiful than you already are, try Aphrodite's Brand Clothes in your local Olympus Super Mall~"_

Tai took to leaning on an invisible wall during the ride, just looking around the emptiness of space. Well, it was not truly empty. He saw some satellites and what looked like the International Space Station. He wondered idly when it would be finished, and what it would mean for humanity when it was. He looked down once more on the Earth and sighed deeply.

He watched the green masses, the massive blue oceans, the clouds that covered it all in a wispy veil, forming interesting shapes. He found it funny that clouds could still act like so even when you look down on them instead of looking up. That cloud looked like Genji, and that one looked like Mimi-chan…

"_You are entering the private space of the Lunar Capital. Reading your authorization code…Done. You will immediately land in the VIP landing parks milord or lady. Please enjoy the sights of the pure and wonderful City of the Moon."_ A very courteous and beautiful voice said to Tai.

Tai blinked as he looked up. Then he felt a little disoriented as the 'elevator' ride seemed to flip, and he looked down as he fast approached the surface of…Amazing…

_A pristine city filled with light. Bathed in silver moonlight, the bustling and clean streets of the ultimate metropolis of the Milky Way hurried along with business as usual. Cars that moved under no wheels moved along, ridden by kimono-clad or toga-clad ladies, men, or rabbit-eared people. Tall buildings, spires made of gold and platinum, skyscrapers made of palladium and adamantium, _which_ nevertheless were decorated with tasteful additions of flowering ferns and vines._

_The city was bathed with floating orbs of moonlight, and natural flora that showed unreal healthiness shined green. Picturesque flowers of all colors of the rainbow seemed to shine like jewels, proud trees, larger than anything on Earth, surpassing the height of some buildings. In fact, some particularly large trees actually doubled as buildings, with many tastefully dressed people coming in and out. Everyone was smiling, greeting each other warmly and happily. There did not seem to be any strangers in this utopian-looking metropolis._

He slowed down abruptly, yet he felt no shock from such movement. His feet then gently landed on the ground of a park, and it was amazing how even the simple floor of a public park was made of smooth marble. Just by stepping on the moon, he felt all his clothes, his body, his hair, and even his mouth felt cleaner than they ever felt before, and he can taste a fresh, minty aftertaste.

"Hmm, rather convenient." Tai muttered.

He was in the Lunar Capital at last.

* * *

He wandered the city, marveling at how ornate everything seemed. He was amazed at the sheer balance in aesthetics, as nothing around him ever strayed into an ostentatious gaudiness despite the fact that most of the buildings were probably worth more than the treasuries of an entire nation back on Earth.

He stopped by what looked like a convenience store, built out of solid marble. He walked inside and walked on obsidian floors, and the shelves themselves were made of a light mithril. The cloth covering surfaces seemed velvety to the touch, and yet even his novice skin could feel just how tough the cloth was.

He looked around their merchandise, and found many bags made out of the strange cloth. He touched them, and they also felt smooth under his fingers. He took them out of the shelves and weighed them and felt nothing at all. He furrowed his brows as he brought the item to the register, placing it gently on the counter.

A rabbit-eared girl happily greeted him back, wearing a yellow kimono worth more than the entire wardrobe of an Empress. "Welcome to Dionysus Wares' and the wonderful 1-4 section of the 100 Million Gods~ Please vote for us for the Most Beautiful Sector Competition tomorrow~ How may I help you today?"

Tai blinked at the girl. "1-4 section?"

The girl lost her smile as she blinked. "You do not know? How strange, but you do not look like an Earthbound God or Demigod sir…"

Tai blinked some more. "Hmm, I truly do not understand, but yes I did come from Earth."

The girl tapped her chin with a finger before her eyes lit up. "Oh wow, are you a divinely chosen hero?! That's so cool! What's your name?" She excitedly squealed.

Tai shook his head ruefully before shrugging, running with it. He gave the girl his best smile and simply said,"You mean you do not know me? How sad. I thought my services to the gods would have endured the test of time and reached your gorgeous ears, my fair maiden."

The rabbit-eared girl blushed, shaking side to side shyly. "O-Oh no, my ears are not that fluffy or cute…"

Tai chuckled. "Your modesty simply adds more charm to your character milady."

The girl blushed even redder, holding her cheeks with her hands as she tittered. "Oh, you're such a charmer~ You must have been a hero who captured the heart of many maidens during your adventures~"

The girl seemed to snap out of it, looking at Tai excitedly. "Mayhaps you are Jason of the Olympians? But no, you are not Grecian, my apologies…" Her ears drooped as she debunked her own guess.

Tai just smiled widely at the girl. "Well now, as disappointing as it is that you do not know my legend, this mystery surrounding my identity seems to give myself some unusual fun. Perhaps I shall maintain secrecy over my name for longer, no?"

The girl seemed to pout, but smiled back brilliantly. "Well then please come back in the future, and I shall continue guessing your name you shameless charmer you." She teased.

"Shameless I may be, but it is such a pretty sight seeing beautiful maidens such as you be charmed." Tai bowed.

The girl giggled as she rung out his purchase. "I'm Therese by the way. And that will be 500 Yen please."

Tai skillfully hid his surprised reaction when he learned he had to pay in Yen. How unusual, but very helpful. He drew out the necessary bills and found to his amusement that even his money seemed to look brand new after arriving in the capital.

He exited the store, waving his farewells at Therese as he started wandering again. He opened the bag rather skillfully from the top. He fingered the cloth, and then tried to rip it and found himself completely unable to. It didn't even crumple under his hold. He looked inside the bag and found some chips. Not too oily, not too airy, and didn't seem to be covered in powder. He put it in his mouth.

_He tasted the warm, life giving earth as the tuber grew under the energizing light of the sun. He tasted the masterful slices of the cook who seemed to move with grace, despite the fact that his form blurred. Seasoned with salt farmed from the purest and oldest ocean on the moon, sprinkled with pepper grown from the farms of Demeter, and the taste of sweet meat from the golden boars hunted by Artemis kneaded into the chip made the chip explode in wonderful tastes and textures._

Tai blinked back as he regained his senses. He thought about the experience for just a moment before eating the second chip.

* * *

Tai finished the bag of chips, and the bag seemed to shift into a useable, clean bag that he could use. The bag seemed to have grown strong twine which he could use like a strap, and he wore the bag over his shoulder for a lack of a better place to put it.

He walked on the magnificently cleaned roads, perfumed by the shining flora. He looked around, seeing the people in their beautiful clothes engaging in activities that seemed no different than that of a typical metropolis. People bought from shops, just walked the streets and talked, ate out in restaurants. He looked to his right and actually found an electronics store, with a floating piece of glass showing a commercial of a Muse showing off a new kind of synthesizer that could create an entire symphony by itself.

Besides the higher level of technology and development and what seemed to be a more balanced distribution of wealth, it wouldn't have been out of place on Earth. Tai mused on that. Were the Lunarians emulating Earthen lifestyle, or was this the natural development of Lunarian civilization which coincided with Earthen culture?

Tai shook his head and stopped in front of a map. He looked at how the city divided itself. 4 sectors made up the **100 Million Gods Half**, taking up exactly ½ of the Lunar Capital. 1-1 was called the _Amaterasu_ Sector, 1-2 was the _Tsukuyomi _Sector, 1-3 was the _Susanoo_ Sector, and 1-4 was the _Inari_ Sector. He looked around and noted how many fox memorabilia were being sold before looking back to the map.

Another ½ of the whole Lunar Capital made up the **Olympian Half. **It was also separated into 4 sectors. 2-1 was called the _Zeus_ Sector, 2-2 was the _Poseidon_ Sector, 3-2 was the _Hades_ Sector, and 4-2 was the _Athena_ Sector.

So the Lunar Capital was cut in half between the Japanese and the Greek pantheons? How odd… Tai thought. He didn't really hear about the Greek Pantheon from Yukari. Though Yukari did say that she was never really able to set foot into the capital herself.

A history book would be helpful…Tai mused, looking for a library on the map and then walking off.

* * *

"_Yukari-sama?" Ran walked in, looking a little displeased._

"_Hmm~? What seems to be the matter Ran~?" Yukari hummed, lounging by the veranda. Periodically she would reach into a gap and pull out a rice cake, chewing on it languidly._

"_I can't find Chen anywhere. Did she tell you where she went?" Ran asked, sighing._

"_Oh, she is housesitting for the Hakurei Shrine right now. Tai-kun asked for her services while he's away." Yukari answered, relaxed._

_Ran looked a little surprised._

"_That human ASKED for her?"_

"_Indeed. He's rather trusting, isn't he?" Yukari shrugged._

_Ran shook her head, but relaxed. "Well, I suppose the responsibility will be good for her training. I'll make some tea."_

_Yukari nodded, chewing into another rice cake as she looked out from the veranda. She reached for the cup Ran offered without looking back, and took a sip, sighing pleasantly._

_Ran took a seat next to Yukari but more formally, and took a sip. They both took in the sight for a moment before Ran spoke._

"_The tengu do not seem to care either way what the vampires are doing. I found their lack of care surprising but secured their promise not to interfere until Gensokyo is threatened. Satori-san of the Hell of Blazing Fires also does not care nor want to get involved, and the Oni will listen to her will unless a fight starts on Gensokyo. We still do not know where Ibaraki Kasen-san is, and the Death God from the Sanzu River will not speak about her. Eientei has been silent, and you were right that Yagokoro-san will have defenses against the gaps I am able to manifest." Ran frowns a bit at that._

"_The Moriya gods has given us the same warnings of 'not poking the hornet's nest too hard'. Yuyuko-sama is surprisingly reticent about her refusal to join. I do not understand why she will not help with your plan, Yukari-sama…"_

"_Who's to say she isn't helping, Ran? My, the assumptions you make~" Yukari sang out mirthfully._

_Ran looked at her mistress questioningly. When it became apparent that Yukari will not say any more, Ran sighed and continued._

"_The Palanquin ship is still veiled from the Human Village. The Scarlet Devil Mansion seems unaware of it, the tengu will not say but I have not seen any of them near it, and the Moriya gods do not seem to really care, only citing that there are no humans in that ship, so they cannot gather faith from it. So far though, there is no activity coming from the ship. We can rule them as a non-participant by this point unless new developments rise."_

"_So all in all, I have relatively free reign to do whatever I want~ My, how generous everyone seems to be~" Yukari laughed, sitting up and stretching._

_Yukari suddenly became quiet, looking out into the forming mist._

_Ran tensed. "Yukari-sama…?"_

_Yukari seemed to just stare into the distance for a moment, before smiling. "Ran, prepare a cup of tea for our new guest please."_

_Ran blinked, before acquiescing and standing up, returning to the kitchen._

_Yukari greeted the figure coming out of the mist with a smile and a bow._

"_It has been a while Konngara-sama."_

* * *

_Eientei watched the launch of the Scarlet Rocket. Eirin seemed to have a smile on her face, a fact that confused everybody around her._

_Kaguya sighed. "So the invading force against the Lunar Capital is the vampire…? They're brave at least."_

_Eirin laughed at that. "Indeed, especially with that awkward rocket."_

"_Ah yes. Do you really believe they can reach the moon with such a rocket? It is apparently a pale imitation of the rockets the Outside world already has, at least according to Tai-san." Kaguya wondered._

"_Well, with the blessing of the Sumiyoshi gods, even a ship as odd as that could make it to its destination. And I made sure to help them along too." Eirin smiled mischievously._

_Kaguya looked at Eirin, raising an eyebrow. Reisen and Tewi just blinked at the two, confused._

"_I placed a piece of a Lunar Veil to the tip of the rocket. So even if the Sumiyoshi gods revoke their blessings from that rocket, it will make it to the moon no matter what."_

_Kaguya remained silent, just looking at Eirin. Reisen couldn't help but interject,_

"_Master, I don't understand! Do you actually mean for them to reach the Lunar Capital?!"_

"_Yes, I hope they do."_

_The other three all blinked and looked confusedly at Eirin. She just gently smiled at them and looked up, watching the trail of fire the Scarlet Rocket left._

_Reisen frowned as her eyes lit up with sudden understanding. Her ears drooped as she whispered, "You still hold a grudge against the moon then…?"_

_Reisen was surprised as she felt Eirin pat her head. "My, my, what assumptions you make Reisen!" Eirin giggled. "Oh no, I just wish to protect the moon against its true enemy."_

_Kaguya tilted her head. "The true enemy? There is another force besides the vampire?"_

_Reisen gasped. "Oh, Master did mention that someone suggested to the vampire to build a rocket…!"_

_Eirin smiled mysteriously at the two and said, "Well, I suppose if you don't know the true enemy yet, then we'll just have to watch, won't we? So let's all pray for that group's safe arrival, ne?"_

_Tewi shrugged, giving up on understand everything. She did voice what she understood. "The Earth youkai are very foolish to challenge the moon again, even after they've been trashed last time. I'm glad I stuck with you guys instead." Tewi smirked._

_The three Lunarians looked at Tewi's proud posture. Kaguya looked surprised before smiling._

* * *

**A hammering noise impossibly sounded under the ocean depths.**

"…**Why am I fixing this shuttle again?"**

"**So we can investigate that strange sight you saw~ *Crunch*"**

**The **_**vrmm**_** of a power tool sounded, another noise that really didn't belong under the ocean.**

"**So why can't we just use HER power and teleport there?"**

"**For once I agree with Yellow Brain over here. What gives?"**

"**Like you have any right to call me names, goth chick."**

"**Oi, before you guys decide to fight pointlessly again, I'm gonna just say not anywhere NEAR my new baby, got it?!"**

"…**I've brought more stuff."**

"**Just place it over there please~ *Crunch* *Munch*"**

**A dull thud.**

"…**Where is the Sleeper and-"**

"**Heya guys~ I'm bored again, make me something fun~!"**

"**Here…" A voice called out boredly.**

**A swish in the air.**

"…**Huh? What is this, what is this~?! This looks fun, I'm gonna try it out~!"**

**A pull, a growl, and then a buzz.**

"…**Did you really just give HER a chainsaw?"**

"**Hey, it kept her out of our hair for a bit."**

"**Hey, if it scares away the wildlife, then I can actually paint my baby and not worry 'bout them scratching it up."**

"**You and your toys…"**

"**Toys are fun! And this is my toy, and we will cuddle, and snuggle-!"**

"**Oi, like I said, why can't we just use your power and teleport there? Are we really gonna play pretend astronauts and ride this junk?"**

"**Oi! Don't worry baby, you're not junk to me at all~"**

"**Too far…Unless I let loose."**

**A sigh.**

"**Right, and we don't want that yet. Damn, I'm too old to play pretend."**

"**Maybe it will be fun. Astronauts are cool."**

"**You've got to be joking."**

"**Astronauts ARE highly respected~ *Crunch* *Munch*"**

"**Ooh, then we should all get fitted for these suits I found inside~ I call the captain's suit!"**

**An aggrieved sigh, and the slap of a facepalm.**

**In another room, a small snore sounded. Then a shift of the covers, and a whisper, lost into the void.**

* * *

**Meanwhile, outside…**

"**Wee~ Watch all the red stuff just swirl in the water~" The childish voice cried out joyfully as she eviscerated another shark with the chainsaw. Ignoring the fact that the chainsaw was still working despite being underwater, how such a petite form was able to hold the giant tool would make one question their eyes and then their sanity.**

"**Hmm…I'm bored again."**

**The chainsaw was thrown away into the depths. The childish form sat on the precipice of a long sea cliff and yawned.**

"**I hope we find onii-chan again soon…I'm getting so bored…I don't want to destroy a world again…It's gotten boring, and onii-chan got really angry last time too…But I'm SO bored…"**

**The childish form sighed and slapped down on the ground. Immediately, the earth shook and the cliff shattered under her as she fell deeper into the abyss. She didn't really care.**

**It's not like anything in the Earth that could harm her after all.**


	17. Tai Interlude Two

_THEY seemed to be grooming him for something. Tai did not really know, nor did he care at that point._

_He was tutored in many different kinds of subjects. History of all sorts, Mathematics that extended from simple Arithmetic to Theoretical Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Politics, Art, Music, Economics, and languages, so many languages…_

_THEY told him that he needed to understand everything. THEY never told him why. Knowing THEM, they just wanted to see if he could._

_He did._

* * *

_He enjoyed learning languages. He loved being able to read a book that looked like so much gibberish and consume the contents within. He read about all sorts of stories, from heroes rescuing the weak, of wars of a long gone era, of small snippets of the life outside his bubble, of magic and fantastical beasts…_

_Well, for the latter he was not truly as interested. Being near THEM all the time has made the appeal of such miraculous phenomena rather mundane. And he saw many different creatures with his travels with the one who could go everywhere she wanted._

_He read and read and read. He consumed many kinds of stories, histories, facts, figures, tragedies and comedies and boring and fascinating alike…_

_He desperately read, filling his insatiable mind with more imagined lives from the outside._

_He didn't know why. He felt cold in that desolated city._

_He was lonely before he ever knew what it meant to be all alone._

* * *

"_**wHEN yOU aRE rEADY, yOU wILL sPEAK tO tHESE wEAKLINGS. yOU wILL gIVE tHEM tHE eNLIGHTENMENT tHEY sO dESPERATELY sEEK."**_

_As he walked in strange, chaotic worlds, warped by physics and laws that were so distinctly different from his home, in that desolated city, he was always told that by his minder. Sometimes it is the careless wanderer, sometimes the mean, spiteful one, but no matter who brought him in the trip, the message was the same._

_He took solace in that message. He studied harder, worked smarter, put in more effort. Even if those creatures were as ugly as the ones he's seen, the hairy, drooling behemoths that secreted stink that could kill a man, screeching, twitching, gluttonous bat-winged quadrupeds that filled the alien skies, or even those creatures whose forms man's knowledge could never describe…_

_He wanted to be able to speak to another creature. Anyone but THEM, who failed to understand what he began to know._

* * *

_One day he slept as he usually did, exhausted after a hard day's work in the library. He found books about the computers, and he started tinkering with the machines._

_When his eyes opened next, he found himself lying on the bench in a park. He thought very briefly that he was back in time, alone again. He shuddered and curled up, afraid of a life without THEM. Cold as they are, they kept away the deafening silence of that time of his life._

_But…It wasn't silent. A roar sounded, making him jump. He looked around, and saw a strange creature zip by, its form a blur. A sight he never saw before, even in his imagination._

_He did not believe in disbelieving his own senses. He never had to after all._

_He sat up, confused. He saw something he did not understand, and he did not like not understanding. He fixed his clothes absentmindedly, even as he looked around. From behind him, a light shone on his back._

"_HEY YOU! YOU THERE! What are you doing here, kid? Don't you have a curfew or something?"_

_An irate voice. He slowly turned around, unwilling to disbelieve his own ears, but not understanding at all. And within his heart, cold deserts began to warm._

_He found another human._

* * *

"_Yeah Captain, I don't know who the kid is, but I found him in the park…What COULD I do? It's not like I could just leave him there…Homeless? Maybe, but look, his clothes are really expensive…Stole it? What, he walked down the road to Japan, broke in a store, and decided to stroll around New York?"_

_The irate voice gruffly and sarcastically replied to his strange device. A phone, Tai began to recognize._

_He sat quietly in that bench, studying carefully his first human encounter. The man was heavyset, slightly built but with a protruding beer belly. He had a clean-shaven face, wearing a blue police-uniform with a brown leather jacket. When he took of his hat to scratch his head, he saw a receding hairline already starting to form. When the policeman sighed and closed his phone, he looked at Tai. His eyes, tired and jaded, nevertheless held a spark of concern for Tai._

"_Look, are you lost? Do you have a parent or a guardian I could call for you?"_

_Tai slightly tilted his head to the side. He knew what the words meant, but they always felt far, remote, a word meant for other people._

_The policeman sighed at Tai's silence, and he rubbed his chin, trying to think._

_Tai saw a baton on his side, a machine that he thought looked like a stun gun from the book "Law Enforcement Armory" by E. G. Robertson, and the L-shaped tube that many books called a gun._

_For one brief moment, his eyes focused on the gun. He knew what it was for. To deal death to others. Death…What was it like? Many books dealt with the anguish of impending death. How it irreversibly tore apart friends, family, lovers…Of how many people feared what comes after life, even after living through extremely difficult lives..._

_Tai realized that he never included himself when he thought of "people."_

_He thought about himself dying. It was…Too difficult to fathom. He wondered why._

"_Kid, can you understand me at all? Come on, work with me here. Maybe I should just bring you to the station…" The man muttered, sighing in annoyance._

_Tai snapped out of his thoughts. He nodded to the policeman, surprising the other briefly._

"_So you CAN understand me? Why don't you speak up then?" The policeman questioned._

_Tai blinked at the man, tilting his head to the side again. To speak? He guessed he could. But…What should he say? Countless statements flew through his mind, and he felt like he was being engulfed in a tornado of stories and lessons that made it hard for him to breathe._

"_O-OI! Calm down! Calm the f-, I me-, just calm down!" The policeman grabbed Tai's shoulders._

_Tai became very still._

_The policeman, noticing the child stiffen, flinched back, his hands acting like they were burned._

"_Sorry kid…But you started freaking out and well…" The policeman apologized awkwardly._

_Tai didn't say anything. He couldn't. His head blanked from the most foreign sensation._

"_Sigh…L-look. I'll bring you to the station, and we can talk about this some more. Umm, just follow me okay? It's nearby, we can walk there." The policeman offered a hand, paused in thought, then bit his lip as he brought it to his head, scratching his neck._

_Tai blinked and slowly nodded. He got up the bench and stood on the cold concrete. The policeman noticed and his eyes widened._

"_Wha- Da-Darn. I didn't realize you were barefooted. How- It's the middle of fall here..." The policeman stuttered. The man rubbed the sides of his forehead, muttering to himself. Tai merely looked up at the taller man._

"_You must be freezing. Here…" The policeman took off his jacket and wrapped it around Tai. It wrapped around his small form, and he looked cocooned within it. He blinked in confusion, feeling a strange, weaker sensation from before._

"_Hmm…Here, get on my back. I'll give you a piggy-back ride so you don't have to step on the freezing pavement." The policeman turned around, kneeling._

_Tai slowly approached. He stood behind the man's back, hesitating. What was he supposed to do again…? In the story of Little Jennifer by Lawrence A. T. Justin, the titular character's father gave the child a piggy-back ride too, and held on tightly to the taller man's neck and wrapped her legs around the man's front to better hold on…._

_Tai nodded to himself, and before the policeman could turn around to see what was taking so long, Tai grabbed on to the man's neck. He wrapped his legs around the man's stomach, or he tried to. The man's beer belly was too large, so he could only grab on with his foot. The policeman shivered, the boy's foot being as cold as a block of ice._

_The man grabbed the boy's leg and slowly stood up, walking towards the station. What a strange child, the policeman thought._

_Tai laid his head down on the man's neck, his arms burning with the weird sensation once more. Against his will, his eyes began to close, the sensation making him feel so sleepy, restful…_

_For once in Tai's life, he felt peaceful. He held on tightly to that new feeling, a feeling that drove away the unpleasant feelings festering in his heart and the numbness he never even knew his lonely body had._

"_Warm…"_

_The policeman stopped, glancing back at the boy. When he heard nothing else, he continued walking._

_Maybe it was his imagination._


End file.
